Twilight Zone
by WheresUrMoose
Summary: "Help, I'm steppin' into the twilight zone. The place is a madhouse, feels like being cloned. My beacon's been moved under moon and star. Where am I to go, now that I've gone too far?" / ignore author notes for the first 12 chapters of the story. / (het, slash, blood use, language, violence)
1. Let's Shake Things Up

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. Though I desperately wish I did.

**Author's Note: **I only just started watching the show about a month ago. Was turned onto it by a friend, not knowing a single thing about it. Needless to say, I was hooked within five minutes. I thought the show couldn't get any better, then this mysterious crossroads demon starts getting mentioned…enter Mr. Crowley, eventual King of Hell. There was no hope for me, I was lost as soon as he showed up. And this show was smart enough to keep him involved, even bringing him around more. Anyway, I'm hooked on Mark Sheppard and it's that damn King's fault. This fanfic is an idea that's been bouncing around in my head for a few weeks. I can't shake it. I can't really set this within the show's current timeline cause I make mistakes when I do that. I'm just gonna roll with my idea. I hope you all enjoy it. Please leave a review regardless, good or bad.

**Character notes: **There will be some OC's in this story. Very few but still some. Not even positive which ones yet. Only have one in mind for sure. I've not lingered much on writing Sam and Dean so please know that in case I suck at them. Might take a while to get used to em. Crowley, however, I think I have down.

**Pairing Notes: **There are no slash pairings in this story. If you're looking for that, I'm sorry, you'll have to look elsewhere. Only know that I'm for sure set on one pairing so far. You'll see it eventually.

**Rating Note: **This is M for a reason. Even though they don't cuss in the show, I will have them cussing here. And eventual sexual content. If you're uncomfortable with that, don't bother reading.

Twilight Zone

Chapter One: Let's Shake Things Up

The jet black impala charged down the road at its usual beyond speed limit pace, an animal of a machine eating the blacktop hungrily as it went. Inside the car was the remains of a tense silence slowly fading away. A sleeping Sam in shotgun, a silent Cas in the backseat, and a clearly frustrated Dean clutching the steering wheel with one hand.

Not able to handle the silence anymore, still fuming from the argument they all had an hour ago, Dean popped Led Zeppelin II into the cassette player. Keeping the music quiet enough that Sam could stay asleep, he started to relax from the familiar tunes. Cas stayed silent, despite having questions and wishing to have a conversation with his friend.

They drove on in peace and quiet, unaware of what was happening upstairs, just as everyone else was ignorant to it. Completely ignorant of how much things were about to change.

Xxxxxx

Feet up on a footstool and legs crossed at the ankles, the King of Hell listened to the newly captured rogue demon's screams as one of his goons tortured him for information about a warlock. A warlock who had a vendetta against him personally. A glass of Craig in one hand, he listened as though the agonized screams were the masterpiece of a top notch orchestra. After a moment, he whistled, his personal hellhound, Growley, making its way over. He reached out and pet the coarsely furred neck of the morbid beast.

"Go for a walk. See if there's any snacks outside." He said to it, it barked once in response and he smiled, patting its neck.

"Good boy." Was his parting comment as the hound bounded out of the room in the abandoned warehouse.

Crowley had a sense that something was wrong, something was about to happen but he wasn't sure what. Which unnerved him more than if he had known. Finishing his glass, he got up and stepped over to the table the demon was strapped to, watching his loyal tormentor stop.

"Are you going to tell us where he is or shall I make you puppy chow? Your choice." Offered Crowley. The demon shaking in pain simply shook his head.

"Typical Lucifer loyalist. Just a pain in the ass." Sighed Crowley, he nodded at his tormentor and walked back to his seat.

Before Crowley's demon could kill the loyalist, however, the change happened.

Xxxxxx

Just as it started to snow lightly on the dark, empty road, a blindingly bright flash of light emitted from the windows of the Impala. Tires screeched as it slid to a stop on the icy road and the light faded. The car now diagonal as Dean slammed it into park.

"The Hell just happened?!" he shouted, turning to the backseat to look at Cas, even more alarmed by the frightened and confused look on the angel's face.

"Did that come from in here? Jesus Christ, Dean, what's going on?!" exclaimed Sam, turning to look at Cas after his brother did so. The angel stared back at them for a few moments before speaking.

"I think I've just lost all of my power…." Came Cas's slow reply.

Xxxxxx

The same blinding light exploded in every room of the warehouse that any demon was occupying, including the little torture chamber. It was gone in the blink of an eye but in that time span, most of the demons screamed and Crowley dropped a full bottle of scotch while about to refill his glass. Stepping back from where it had crashed to the hard floor, he turned to look at his torturer demon and the one chained to the chair.

"Sir…..what….what just happened?" asked the torturer in a shaking, oddly frightened voice. Crowley didn't answer. He walked over and picked up a normal knife, moving to the one in the chair and stabbing him through the eye, into the brain. Once he pulled the knife out, the body went limp. No black smoke, no scent of sulfur.

Crowley picked up an angel blade and rolled up his sleeve then stopped, looking at the demon before him.

"Are the others aware that I came up here to visit?" he asked, very calmly. The demon shook his head. No sooner had he done that than did Crowley plunge the angel blade into his chest, where the human heart of his vessel sat.

"What…what did I do wrong?" asked the demon in a strangled face, giving his king a confused look.

"Nothing but two can keep a secret if one is dead." Crowely tugged the blade out and let him drop, again seeing no black smoke or sparks.

Touching the blade to his bared forearm, he sliced once, wincing slightly as he did so. No sparks showed, only blood.

"Bollocks…" he mumbled before walking over and grabbing his coat, stowing the blade in it and heading for a back exit, knowing he could get out without being seen while the rest of the demons desperately try to figure out what happened.

Xxxxxx

"The hell do you mean you lost your power?" asked Dean, confusion and frustration on his face.

"Dean, we must get as far from this place as possible. Whoever has done this may come looking and the amount of power that just ripped me of mine undoubtedly sent a beacon up, showing where I am. We need to hide." Answered Cas in an urgent tone. Dean stared at him for a moment then looked at Sam.

"One of Dad's old cabins is out this way, right?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, about 9 miles away is the turn off to it." Answered Dean, putting the Impala back in gear and starting to drive.

"So, what's the plan, then Cas? Get in, angel proof, demon proof, hit the books?..." asked Sam, still turned and looking at the angel in the backseat.

"I believe that's our best course of action. Very few things could have done this, we just need to narrow it down."

"I got money on it having to do with Crowley." Piped up Dean, speeding towards where he remembered the old dirt road being. Cas shook his head, causing Sam to raise his eyebrows.

"No, Crowley's not strong enough to do this. He also has no clear reason to. He only does something like this when he's made it clear that he wants something from us."

"I think simple dickery is a clear reason for Crowley to do anything." Retorted Dean, turning onto the old dirt road and slowing down in case there were low hanging tree branches.

"I think we should just get inside, get the proofing up, then start trying to figure out who did this and why. Debating it right now won't do us any good." Said Sam, eyes searching for the cabin he hadn't been to since he was a kid.

Silence fell in the Impala as they pulled up to the cabin and soon parked, bagging supplies from the trunk before venturing inside.

****( I think that's a good start, hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave me a review before you go. I still won't make it fit the show timeline perfectly, no fun doing that, but the trials incident did happen in my story. )** **


	2. Gimme Shelter

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 2: Gimme Shelter

After killing his driver, Crowley had taken the black car by himself, having the same mentality about what happened as Cas did. Which, he soon realized, he was very right to have. Not long after he left the parking lot of the abandoned warehouse, the building itself turned into a ball of flame. Not just as though a normal fire had started, but as though something extremely powerful had taken the time to smite it and all who were inside or nearby.

Unsure of exactly where he was going just yet, an idea hit him. There was some hunter's daughter in this area, a young woman who'd been close to Bobby Singer throughout her teenage years and childhood. He couldn't remember exactly where she was and couldn't risk calling one of his goons for notes. It was more than likely that the Winchesters would have this girl's number, he had reason to believe that she'd been somewhat doing what Bobby had been, just only for a very small amount of hunters. Pulling up his phone at a stop sign, he searched through it to see if had put her address down anywhere, grinning when he found it.

"I love relying on me… " he mused aloud, pulling away from the stop sign and heading towards her street.

Xxxxxx

Windows blocked out by sigils, Sam sat with Cas and several books while Dean sat staring at the screen of a laptop, having absolutely no idea what to be looking for.

"Cas, you mind tellin us what kinda things can make whatever the hell happened tonight happen are?" he sighed, taking a drink of a newly opened beer.

"God, clever archangels, a few Gods from other religions. Those are the ones able to do this entirely alone. If it's more than one thing, say a few working together, then there are far more possibilities." Explained Cas.

Sam opened his mouth to speak then they all flinched as the sound of a bomb dropping echoed through the woods, with enough force to make the trees tilt.

"Jesus Christ!" exclaimed Dean, jumping up and grabbing his gun, Sam mimicking his motions. Cas stayed seated, watching them eye the bright light until it vanished.

"That is why I said we had to move from that spot. Whoever did this, did it on purpose. They wanted angels, or maybe just me, weak enough to be killed by whatever force they just used." Explained the angel who then stared down as his stomach growled.

"I am hungry." He added, looking back up at the brothers. Sam paused for a moment then grabbed the keys to the Impala.

"If I remember right, there's a carry-out about twenty minutes from here. I'll go get us some grub. You guys just stay here where Cas can't be found." Said Sam, pulling his coat back on.

"Hey, keep your phone's ringer up all the way. We have no idea how much whatever did this knows or what they want, be on alert. Alright?" asked Dean, putting his gun back down as Sam stowed his own in his belt.

"Got it. Keep eyes and ears open. If I'm not back in an hour, assume something's wrong." Retorted the younger brother as he went outside to the car.

Xxxxxx

Car parked at the side of the street, Crowley walked up the front porch and knocked on the door of Jade Edwards' house. He listened and waited before giving a polite smile as the door was opened to the end of the chain so the young woman inside, even shorter than him, could eye him warily.

"Yes? Can I help you?" she asked.

"Are you Jade?... I need help." He stepped closer, lowering his voice, putting on a victim's expression. Her brows furrowed, obviously not trusting him yet.

"With what? I'm not a hospital."

"I worked with the Winchesters and Bobby Singer a little while back. They gave me a few names of people to see if I couldn't find them. You're the only one I could find." He answered, her eyes widened, seeming to perk up, on the verge of letting him inside.

"Uncle Bobby? …. Oh, well…you're gonna have to tell me who you are. And what the problem is."

"I'm an angel but something's sucked all the grace out of me, somehow. I don't know what's happened. I need you to help me find the Winchesters. Before whatever did this comes and finds me while I'm vulnerable."

Jade paused for a few moments, still eyeing him, considering her options here and if he was lying. In truth, she began verging on full trust as soon as he'd mentioned her late and favorite uncle. Far as she knew, only hunters knew much about Bobby. She'd never met an angel, only read what Bobby had left her on them, so she had nothing to go on. This guy on the front porch seemed nice, and in danger, but she could swear there was something in his face far too mischievous to be angelic. She also had to admit that she liked that face, and really liked that voice. Without saying anything else, Jade unlocked and opened the door.

Xxxxxx

"Cas, would you shut your stomach up? It's driving me nuts, gurgling every two seconds…." Complained Dean, looking at things on four different tabs on the internet.

"I believe I would perish if I were to shut my stomach." Retorted Cas, causing the other man to sigh.

"Nevermind…Cas, do angels wear out their vessels the same way demons do? To the point of death?"

"No, we are supposed to heal any damage done before exiting the vessel. Why?"

"Because this is more wide scale than we thought…." Replied Dean, turning the laptop so Cas could see what he was looking at. It was various reports from all over the world of people who'd been missing or acting strange lately suddenly dropping dead after a bright light or strange fires. Cas read then stared at Dean.

"Demons, too?"

"Looks like it. Awesome, this just got a boatload more confusing…what the hell could want to basically disarm all angels and demons?"

"The only one I could think of with the strength for that is God. Maybe He's tired of all the fighting and chaos. But I don't understand why he wouldn't use the angels that remained loyal…"

"Well, whoever did it, I think this rules out Crowley, unfortunately. It wouldn't make any sense for him to do that to his own army. Dammit…I really wanted an excuse to gank him…" sighed Dean, getting up and grabbing another beer.

"Does your father's journal have any notes on something like this? Or any documents of Bobby Singer's that you have? Or perhaps Men Of Letters documents?"

"Hey, don't ask me. Sam's the bookworm. I only read my dad's book and there's nothing like this anywhere in there. From what I ever read of Bobby's, I don't remember anything like this in his stuff either. But Sammy would know more than me." Answered Dean, looking at his watch, nervous having to wait for Sam.

"He will be back, Dean. You know that. He always comes back." Said Cas, trying to comfort his friend. Dean didn't speak, just nodded.

Xxxxxx

Crowley stepped into the simple, comfy little house, letting the door shut behind him. Before he could even speak again, he had to clench his eyes shut as holy water doused his face. In mixed feelings of relief and alarm that it didn't burn, he wiped his face and stared at the short girl.

"Really necessary?" he asked with raised brows.

"Yes. Bobby said it's always necessary. That's one of the few things he did teach me. So, Sam and Dean…. I've got all numbers in a book Bobby filled out for me in case of an emergency." She replied, walking into the next room. Crowley followed her, surprised and pleased this was working so smoothly. Jade grabbed an old book and began to flip through pages, picking up her glass of iced tea.

"So, what's your name, angel guy?" she asked before taking a drink.

"Crowley." He answered, knowing it was risky but getting bored with being so nice. She visibly froze and stared at him for a moment and Crowley could tell she had no field experience, no battle hardened instincts, just a bookworm. Doing the only thing that came to mind, she whipped her glass of tea in his direction and went to run for the shotgun hidden in the house. He dodged the glass and grabbed her, slamming her into the wall, hands holding her wrists and stepping on her toes of both her feet.

"Let me go, you son of a bitch! I knew you were no angel! Damn me, I knew it!" she shouted at him.

"Let's calm and quiet down, darling. I only lied about being an angel. I do need help. I have worked with the Winchesters and Bobby in the past. And dear ole Dean owes me a favor. I'm not looking for them for malicious reasons." He explained calmly.

"Bullshit, you're the King of Hell, how could you possibly not mean them harm?"

"I don't have time to explain right now and you're rather at my mercy. Therefore, be a good little girl, get daddy their numbers, and don't try anything stupid." He said in a low voice, leaning in close to speak. She could feel his breath on her skin and tried to ignore the chills all of it sent down her spine. Mustering a glare at him, she spoke through grit teeth.

"Let go of me. I'll get you their damn numbers."

"That's my girl." He retorted, slowly letting her feet then wrists free, a smirk on his face.

Xxxxxx

Cas watched Dean literally heave a sigh of relief as the unmistakable sound of the Impala pulling in reached their ears. Sam walked in with his arms full and Dean moved over to help him set everything down.

"Geeze, Sam, I thought you were just getting grub."

"I thought we could use some supplies, too. Who knows how long we'll be holed up in here. Simple stuff. Cheap toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper…just necessities." Explained Sam, pulling a bottle of water out of the bag. Dean and Cas pulled food out and the paper plates, getting around to eat.

"We narrowed it down a tiny bit. It's not just Cas. Based on cases on a worldwide scale, it's happened to demons. Lots of demons. And probably other angels." Said Dean before stuffing nearly half a sandwich in his mouth.

"What? Who the hell would have the juice for that or do it? We kinda just lost our two possible sources. Do you think maybe it backfired on whoever did it?" asked Sam, brows furrowed in confusion as he sat down at the table.

"I don't believe it backfired. Something like that was intended to disarm so many. I just don't understand why." Replied Cas before nearly inhaling his sandwich, earning himself a few odd looks from Sam and Dean for a moment.

"Cas thinks God did it." Sighed Dean after swallowing his mouthful of food.

"Why would God do this? That doesn't make any sense." Questioned Sam, slowly making himself a sandwich as the other two sat back down.

"I didn't say I thought God did it. I said it's a possibility. He may simply be tired of the fighting and chaos. I don't really know what happened, Sam. I'm only speculating." Answered Cas after mowing down a sandwich already.

"Again, this is one of those times that I wish we had Bobby… " sighed Dean, taking another drink from his beer bottle.

"We could call Garth." Offered Sam, finally taking a bite of his own sandwich. Dean shook his head.

"Garth's good but he's not Bobby. He hasn't done as much research, he doesn't have the knowledge Bobby did. Garth's got, what, _maybe_ 10 years under his belt? Bobby had way more than that. There's no comparison. The only ones that could help us figure this out are agents of Heaven or Hell."

"It is a terrible idea to call to either for help while I am around and we don't know who did this or why." Said Cas, making himself another sandwich.

"No shit, Cas." Retorted Dean before downing the rest of his beer.

"So we're on our own. We gotta figure this out ourselves. Alright. After we're all done eating, we need to bury ourselves in research. Go through everything we've got of Dad's, Bobby's, books, and what the internet can give us. We can take turns sleeping. Shifts." Said Sam, halfway through his sandwich.

"Who died and made you the general?" asked Dean, Sam sighed and gave him a look.

"It's a plan. You got a better one?" asked the younger Winchester. The table remained silent, all agreeing without words that Sam's plan for now was the best that they had.

Xxxxxx

Jade picked up her cell phone and started dialing the number when Crowley put his hand over hers holding the phone.

"Ah, ah, ah….Plan. You've got a part to play and you can't play your part without your lines, can you?" he asked, earning himself an annoyed glare and sigh.

"What the hell do you want me to say?" she snapped at him.

"Snappy, aren't you?...You're going to tell them who you are, who Bobby was to you, that you got their number from Bobby in case of emergencies. Understand that much?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"You tell them you found a man collapsed on the ground and when he woke, he was rambling about being an angel and having his grace gone, not knowing how. You say he needs help and asked for them by name. You say he's an old comrade of Castiel's." explained Crowley, unable to not smirk, liking his plan even more as it left his lips.

"Fine. They'll ask for your name."

"Tell them I refuse to give my name until we meet in person, that I know what happened and how it happened. That it's too dangerous to speak of over phone lines and that you must drive me to wherever they are so that we can all meet up and tackle the problem."

"What if they don't like that idea?"

"Say there's no other option and that we'll travel safely, under the radar. If they still persist, say something snappy like you do and hang up. They'll call back. Trust me." He finished, sitting on the top of her desk, staying close so that he could grab her if she tried anything.

"And what'll you do to me if I don't say exactly what you want?"

"Everything that destroys a person on the inside." He replied, the look in his eyes saying this was no empty threat, knowing that she knew no one could come to her rescue that fast if she tried something.

"Can I call now?" she asked after a nervous swallow.

"Yes. On speaker. And, darling, keep your eyes at me. I may have to write notes for you as we go."

Jade took a deep, steadying breath.

"And…no code words. I'm not stupid. I know all the codes Bobby and the boys used." He added quickly as she typed the number in.

"Understood…" she said quietly, hating having no other choice. She put the phone on speaker and kept her eyes on him as it began to ring.

****( there's chapter two. I hope you're enjoying the story. I realize I'm posting rather fast paced but I gotta roll with the story as ideas hit me. Please leave a review on your way out.)** **


	3. Off To See The Winchesters

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 3: Off To See The Winchesters

One of the two cell phones Dean had on him began to ring, breaking the silence as they all used their resources to find out what happened. After doing some digging in his pockets, he pulled it out, brows furrowing at the caller ID.

"Who is it?" asked Sam, looking at his brother, books open in front of him and Cas.

"I don't know…I'll put it on speaker, just be quiet." Said Dean, pressing the button and answering the call.

"Hello?" he asked, all of them heard a sigh before the woman's voice began to speak.

"Is this Dean or Sam Winchester?"

"Depends on who's askin." Answered Dean, glancing at Sam and Cas.

"My name's Jade Edwards. I was close to Bobby Singer when I was growing up, he was my unofficial uncle, basically. Well, he gave me this number to get ahold of Dean or Sam if something happened and I needed help and if he…well if he was dead." The voice explained. Dean stared at his brother for a few moments until Sam motioned to say something.

"Alright, Jade. This is Dean you're talking to. What's happened?"

"I found someone. Um…this man was just laying on the ground in the alley outside my house. When I went to help him he started saying he was an angel and his grace and power were taken from him. I tested to make sure he wasn't a demon and brought him inside. He said to call you guys. I guess he knows someone named Castiel?..." she rattled off, causing the three men to all look at each other again. Sam picked up a piece of paper and started writing while Dean answered.

"What's his name?" asked Dean, eyes on Cas to watch for recognition.

"He said it's not safe to say over the phone. He knows what happened to him and who did it but I guess he needs your guys' help." The voice replied. Sam held up his piece of paper where he'd written _This is the break we're looking for, girl not safe, they should come here_. Cas and Dean looked at what he'd written, the elder Winchester glanced at his angel friend for his vote, nodding after Cas nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Jade. I'm gonna give you directions to where we are. Bring the guy here, be careful. Pack a bag, you'll be with us for a while, just so you can be safe. Got a pen and paper?" asked Dean, ignoring the pinching feeling of mistrust in the whole situation, knowing it was better to try and help an innocent than mistrust and let her possibly die.

"Yes, I do. Go ahead." She answered.

Xxxxxx

Jade hung up on the call, eyes moving from the paper back up to Crowley who smiled at her.

"Well done, darling. Time for a road trip. Let's get your bag packed." He said, motioning for her to move in front of him and go to her room. She hesitated for a moment then moved, sighing when she noted that he was following very close behind, obviously not trusting her.

"I can pack by myself, you know."

"You can also shut your gob and pack while I watch." He retorted as they reached her room and she pulled a bag out from under the bed.

"Maybe I have…private woman stuff to pack." She grumbled, opening drawers and stuffing clothes in the bag.

"I've taken enough panties off with my teeth to not get all sweaty watching you pack yours. Hurry up. We're on a schedule." He snapped back, having a seat on the end corner of her bed and watching her pack, making sure she wasn't grabbing any weapons to try something stupid. She was glad to be facing the other direction when he said that considering how quickly her face flushed red. After shoving an extra pair of socks in her bag, she spoke again, not facing him in case she was still blushing.

"Can I go get some things out of my bathroom? Alone, preferably." She asked, hearing the bed creak when he stood up.

"Yes and no. I'm not letting you out of my sight. You've got 90 seconds to grab what you need out of the bathroom then we leave."

Jade sighed and walked into the bathroom, hearing him behind her. She quickly grabbed everything she needed, stuffing it in her bag before finally turning to him again and raising her eyebrows. He nodded, looked at his watch then grabbed her arm at the elbow. On instinct, she quickly tugged out of his grasp, not having expected that, earning herself a narrowed gaze look.

"I can walk, you know. I don't remember inviting you to get all touchy feely." She snapped at him, blinking in confusion when he chuckled rather than got angry.

"Oh, you know you want me to. Fine then, walk. Either directly next to me or directly in front of me."

"Fine." She said, walking to the front door and out, locking it before he shut it and led her down to his car.

Reaching the car, he grabbed her again and tugged her around to the driver's side, opening his door.

"Get in and slide over to the other seat." He ordered, giving a little push, forcing her into the car where she did exactly as he said, scowling the entire time. He got in after her, intentionally so that his hip would brush against her rear, causing her to nearly squeak before quickly sitting almost against the other door.

Crowley just chuckled, starting the car and quickly pulling off the curb, heading for empty county roads where he could speed. Keeping the radio off to intentionally create an awkward silence, liking to keep his prey uncomfortable, he glanced over at her, feeling her staring.

"Yes?" he asked with raised brows.

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I told you why. It's not my fault you didn't believe me. You should've heard the rumors, you should know just how dangerous those Winchesters are. Would I really drive right to them if I was going to cause trouble? If there's any hunters that have ever existed in this world that could kill me, it's them. Honestly, I'm assuming that what has happened to me happened to Castiel as well. I know who did it. I'm intending to help them and myself all at once." He explained to her. For some reason, this time she believed him.

"What's happened?" she asked, in a less accusatory voice.

"Something, well, someone, voided angels and demons on earth of their power."

"Do you know who did it?"

"I have a prime suspect, yes. Nothing in certainty, however. I need to hear what the boys have to say about it." He answered, no longer glancing at her, eyes on the road. Jade fell silent, going into thought and turning her head to look out the window.

Xxxxxx

"Am I the only one who thinks this is a little bit odd?" asked Dean, breaking the silence and pulling Cas and Sam's attention away from researching.

"What?" asked Sam, a confused look on his face.

"This girl, we've never heard of before, just happens to have known Bobby, heard of us, and spontaneously comes across an angel? How do we know that she's even sure it's an angel? If she was a hunter Bobby knew, then we'd have her number. Which tells me she can't know all that much about angels and demons other than fictional crap."

"We don't know, Dean, but if she's telling the truth, then she needs to come here. If she doesn't know this guy is something other than an angel, then she's in danger. Either way, she needs to come here. If she had our number, then she did know Bobby. More than likely. Therefore, it's our responsibility to help her." Answered Sam, causing his brother to sigh.

"If he truly is an angel that I knew, I will know him as soon as he speaks. I can give you a signal if he is not and then you can tie him down. Whatever he is, we have handled worse." Said Cas, looking at them both then returning his attention to the books in front of him.

"What if he's the one who did this?" asked Dean.

"Then we do what we do best and kick his ass." Answered Sam, eyes back on the books in front of him. The table fell quiet again until something banged against it, startling the brothers. Looking over, they saw Cas with his head laying on the table, snoring.

"I guess he sleeps first…." Sighed Dean, rubbing his face to wipe the tiredness from his eyes. Sam stood up and walked to the coffee maker.

"Yep….we gonna carry him to the bed or let him sleep right there and drool on the books?"

"Ugh…we'll carry the man-baby to bed." Grumbled Dean, standing up. Sam walked over with him and grabbed under Cas's arms while Dean grabbed his legs, the brothers carried their friend into the next room and let him sleep.

"Guess all that no need to sleep crap catches up with angels just as much as the hunger does." Commented Sam as they returned to the kitchen, both hearing the faint sound of Cas snoring.

"Yeah, I guess. Man, I gotta take a break. My eyes are gonna bleed if I stare at that computer screen any longer. We've been at this for hours, I don't think we're gonna find anything more. We might as well wait til this girl gets here and see if her so called angel buddy has any answers." Replied Dean, cracking open a beer, causing Sam to chuckle slightly.

"That's not gonna help with staying awake, Dean."

"Who said I had to stay awake? You get first watch, little bro." retorted Dean with a typical big brother smirk, smacking Sam's shoulder before walking over to the couch and lazily spreading out on it. Sam gave him a look and sighed, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

"Awesome…. " he muttered, giving his face a few smacks before turning and staring out the window, wondering if he should keep researching or find something more entertaining so that he didn't pass out, too.

Xxxxxx

As the early morning hours finally rolled around, Jade found herself having to struggle to stay awake. The radio was finally on and Crowley had even cracked his window, which told her that he was now struggling as well. He'd taken off his coat and tie so that the cold air would keep him cold, assuring he didn't drift off or get too comfortable.

"Can't we stop and sleep for a few hours? Even if just sleeping in the car?" she asked in an exhausted, groggy voice. He glanced at her and she saw that she was right, he was just as tired by the look on his face.

"We keep going and we could be there by lunchtime. If you're tired, stop complaining and just sleep." He answered, clearly grumpy by his tone.

"I can't really sleep when I'm convinced that if I pass out, it won't be long before you do and we'll both wake up in a damn ditch. Sorry, I've been in car accidents in the winter before. I don't really wanna repeat the experience." She snapped back at him, frustrated and grumpy herself due to lack of sleep. After a few seconds of silence, he slammed on the breaks, almost throwing her through her own seatbelt.

"God dammit! What the hell, man?!" she shouted at him, unbuckling her seat belt and rubbing where it bit into her neck.

"Now look here, you pain in the ass! Stop bickering with me or you can park your ass in the fucking trunk for the rest of the ride!" he raged at her in frustration, voice raised in the strained tone he uses when too frustrated or angry to even shout.

"Eat me, asshole! I'd rather ride in the goddamn trunk!" she shouted back, just as angry at this point and too tired to care if he'd try to kill her or not.

"Really?! Really? Alright, let's show you how much fun it is to bounce around in a bloody trunk!" he retorted, shutting the car off and tugging the keys out of the ignition before swinging his door open so hard that the hinges gave a protesting groan. Jade's eyes widened for a moment then the anger raged again as she fumbled with unlocking her door, intending on punching him in the face as soon as she got out.

She flung her own door open just as he reached her side of the car, never having been in a serious fight but now angry enough to do so. Seeing him approaching, she swung with all her might and hit him right in the cheekbone. At the same time that she did that, her body swung and her feet, planted on ice, failed her, making her slip back and hit the car. Crowley was stuck with the same problem while trying to regain balance from the punch, unable to do so, he slipped backwards and hit the ice flat on his back, breath wooshing from his lungs. A strange moment of silence held for a few seconds before the pain of punching someone finally registered in her hand and Crowley got his breath back from smacking the ground.

"Fucking ow... " she whimpered, holding her hand where one of her knuckles was now bleeding, all of them throbbing. Crowley just groaned for a moment, trying to muster the energy and ability to roll and get up.

"The hell is the matter with all you people…. " he grumbled.

"You were gonna put me in the trunk! Ow, my goddamn hand…. " she whined, shaking it as though that would help.

"Fuck your hand, I can't bloody move!"

"Good! I'm leaving you here!"

"Not going anywhere without the keys, now shut up and help me up." He grouchily replied, instantly regretting that he'd mentioned he still had the keys when she gave that look that said she was about to go for them.

Just as she started to move, he went scrambling to get to his feet, slipping and sliding, glad that she was stuck doing the same before he nearly tackled her against the car. Pinning her basically by falling on her.

"You're not getting the keys, you're not leaving me here, and you're not gonna keep fucking arguing with me. This is not up for debate." He growled at her, face inches from hers.

"I know exactly what pocket they're in and I will totally leave your ass here." She growled back. He raised his brows, his cheek starting to bruise slightly.

"Really? You're gonna stick your hand in my pocket? You trying to fight me or get in my pants, darling?" he asked, voice a little less angry, back to its ever annoying taunting tone. She willed her face to not go red and glared.

"Let go of me so I can get back in the car and sleep, jackass." She finally sighed, too tired to keep this up. He let go of her and watched her get back in the passenger seat before moving round the car and returning to the driver's seat. Crowley started the car again, almost feeling her fuming with irritation.

"Why can't I sleep in the backseat?" she asked through grit teeth.

"Because I know how easy it is to overpower someone when you're in the seat behind them. I'm not taking that chance."

"But this seat hardly reclines and I sleep better on my side." She complained, hoping it would annoy him to use a whiny tone.

"Could always use my lap for a pillow." Offered Crowley, pulling the car off the side of the road and picking up speed again.

"Uh, no." she retorted, giving him a dirty look. As the minutes went by, she came to the decision that she didn't really care. She just wanted to sleep. Heaving a sigh, she scooted then lay down on her side, putting her head on his thigh.

"That didn't last long…" he mused with a soft chuckle.

"Shut up. I just need to sleep." She grumbled, eyes closing and already starting to drift off.

Crowley glanced down a few times, eyeing her every so often as he drove. Not so long after she had fallen asleep, he realized that he simply couldn't keep himself awake any longer. With a soft sigh, he pulled the car into the parking lot of what was probably once a gas station half a century ago. Parking the car and shutting it off, he reclined his seat slightly and let his eyes close. His hand absently falling to set on her arm as he passed out.

****( there's chapter 3. I hope I'll start getting some reviews fairly soon. I've gotten past the hard, awkward part as far as Crowley and Jade go so I should be able to write them more smoothly now. I hope this chapter was enjoyable. Please leave me a review on your way out. )** **


	4. I'm The Thorn In Your Side

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 4: I'm The Thorn In Your Side

Dean was swiftly awoken by Sam's paw of a hand smacking the side of his face once. He blinked and startled awake, ready to fight until he saw his brother, the battle instinct moving into annoyance.

"What the hell? You can't just shout from the kitchen? Hey, bro, I made breakfast?..." complained Dean, rubbing the side of his face once then rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"I've been saying your name for five minutes and you wouldn't wake up. I'm tired, Dean, I need to get some sleep, too." Replied Sam, sounding like he was already half asleep.

"Alright. Go sleep. Where's Cas?" said Dean, stretching, fully awake now, stomach rumbling with hunger.

"He's still asleep. Get me if anything happens." Sam gave a half wave without looking as he went into the other bedroom, flopping onto the bed and kicking his shoes off before falling asleep.

Dean ventured over to the fridge, pulling out the eggs and setting them on the table. After he got out a skillet, he left the kitchen and went into one of the bedrooms, walking straight to a snoring Cas.

"Hey, wakey, wakey. Let's go." He said, loudly, patting Cas on the back twice. The angel stopped snoring and abruptly woke up.

"What's happened?...Where am I?" he asked, voice groggy from sleep as he rubbed his face.

"You passed out early this morning so Sam and I brought you in here. Come on, help me make some breakfast. Maybe we'll call that Jade and see how far away she is." Replied Dean, leaving the room and heading back into the kitchen.

"Breakfast? Is it still morning?" asked Cas, shuffling out to the kitchen like a very large toddler.

"Uh, no, it's actually a little past noon. But breakfast is good any time of day."

"Is it not only a morning food?"

"Cas…it doesn't matter when you eat it. People just call it breakfast cause you usually eat it in the morning, when you get up. For us, we're just getting up right now, so we're gonna eat it right now." Explained Dean with a sigh, cracking eggs into the skillet.

"Oh. I understand now." Answered Cas, rubbing his neck.

"What's wrong with your neck?"

"Nothing. I think I'm very thirsty."

"There's milk in the fridge." Answered Dean, searching for a spatula. Cas opened the fridge door and pulled out the gallon of milk, opening it and taking several long drinks straight from the container. Dean stared at him until he put it down.

"Dude…cups. Seriously." The Winchester shook his head and returned his attention to the eggs.

"Oh…sorry." Retorted Cas, putting the milk back in the fridge.

Xxxxxx

The sun glaring through the passenger window finally reached a point where it hit Jade right in the face. Bringing her out of her slumber with a yawn. She blinked her eyes open, suddenly remembering where she was as she looked at Crowley's knee, just a few inches from her eyes themselves. Listening for a moment, she heard his breathing was slow and relaxed, he was clearly asleep. Just as she thought about moving, she realized his hand was on her arm, probably assuring that he'd wake as soon as she did move.

Heaving a sigh, she wondered what time it was, how long they'd been stopped. Before she could really dwell on such things, she heard a deep intake of breath then a clearing of a throat. It seemed her captor was waking up.

Raising one hand to rub his face, he yawned before opening his eyes, looking around at the brightened scenery before looking down at her. Without saying anything, he reached up and started the car again before adjusting his seat a tiny bit. She took the moment to remove her head from his leg and sit up, rolling her eyes as she heard his taunting groan of complaint.

"I thought you'd stay like that. Then perhaps I could've convinced you to do me a dirty little favor." He said, pulling the car out of the parking lot and back onto the road.

"How do you go from planning to put me in the trunk to wanting a BJ that quickly?" she snapped at him, thinking it was way too early for this, considering she'd only just woken up.

"Yes, well, stress and a woman's head on your lap does funny things to a King…" was his retort, pushing the car far past the speed limit with ease.

"Nice try but no thanks." She replied, feeling heat in her face at the entire topic itself. She rolled down her window a bit to get some fresh air.

"How long are you going to pretend you're not attracted to me?" he asked, smirking, simply baiting her temper.

"It's not pretending. I would be if you weren't such a dick." She retorted, folding her arms.

"That's a defensive motion, love, you're lying."

"You really like the sound of your own voice, don't you?"

"Absolutely. Who wouldn't like the sound of my voice?"

"Me, for one." Lied Jade, arms still folded until she picked up her phone, checking the GPS.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire…" he chanted with a smirk.

"We're almost there, ass." She retorted, putting her phone away, eyes taking in the surrounding woods.

"I'd imagine we're looking for a nearly non-existent dirt road." He said, slowing down the car to eye the sides of the road.

"The coordinates read that it's half a mile from us." Replied Jade, sitting forward to get a better look, squinting a little bit. The car slowed to just under ten miles per hour so they wouldn't miss the turn off. It wasn't long before Crowley spoke up.

"There." He announced, nodding at tire tracks that they'd have completely missed had they not been looking. He turned onto the dirt road and glanced at Jade, who was starting to feel nervous.

"You're not here to hurt them, are you?" she asked, mentally noting that it was a little late to ask this.

"No. I told you. I need their help. However, they may try to hurt me...They're not particularly fond of me." He answered, seeing the cabin and stopping the car by the Impala, shutting it off with a sigh. She looked at him, finally believing that statement.

"How do you think this is gonna go down?"

"I think Dean's going to do his very best to beat me into the ground until you, Sam, or Cas, who's likely with them, convince him to stop. Without my usual amount of power, I don't really stand too much of a chance with him in a fistfight. If I did manage to win, I'd be in worse shape by the end of it." Explained Crowley, slowly opening his car door.

"You want _me_ to convince Dean Winchester to not whoop your ass? After that car ride we just had?" she asked, attitude in her tone as she got out of the car, watching him get out as well. Standing up straight and stretching briefly, he smiled at her.

"The fate of my handsome face in is your hands, darling." He said, giving her a wink before walking around the car.

"Then you might be up shit creek without a paddle, _honey_." She retorted in a spiteful tone, starting to walk to the cabin with him, hoping Dean wouldn't beat him up, simply so that she wouldn't end up giving in to what Crowley expected from her.

"Cute." He chuckled, reaching the door.

She just rolled her eyes, waiting for him to make a move about going in or getting the Winchesters' attention.

"Here we go…" he sighed, knocking on the door, preparing himself to be hit.

Xxxxxx

Sitting at the table and listening to music, Cas and Dean were waiting for either a phone call or their new friend to arrive. Cas had his attention on the books again, simply to see if he could find something useful. Dean, on the other hand, was playing solitaire on Sam's laptop. Both quickly looked up when they heard a car outside, Dean reaching up to the table and grabbing his gun, standing to put it in his pants. They waited by the table, Cas standing, looking at each other.

"Should we wake Sam?" asked the angel.

"No. We got this. Wait for them to knock, see if you can get a look at them without being seen." Said Dean, quietly. Cas moved over to one of the windows, standing at the side of it, looking out and catching sight her and then a man's black coat as they walked up the porch steps.

"I see her. She's very petite." He stated. Dean rolled his eyes.

"Thanks, Cas. What about the guy? Familiar? Either one of them at gun or knife point? Any sign of trouble?" Dean whispered back, hand on his gun.

"I didn't get a look at him. I don't see any weapons, though. She looked rather annoyed but not frightened or malicious." Whispered Cas, leaving the window's side and walking over to Dean just as a knock sounded on the door. The Winchester nodded, fingers drummed on the handle of his gun momentarily before he grabbed the demon blade instead, holding it at his side as he walked to the door.

"Here goes nothing." He said to Cas before flinging the door open.

Crowley and Jade watched the door swing open to reveal Dean, whose expression slowly turned from apprehension to anger. The King of Hell held up his hands.

"You're upset, I see that. This isn't what you're thinking it is." He stated.

Dean stared at him for a moment, the longest awkward silence Jade thought she'd ever experienced, before Dean suddenly punched the King in the face. Crowley saw it coming but couldn't move in time, the man's fist hitting hard and knocking him off balance where he managed to smack the other side of his head right into a post on the porch, causing him to drop unconscious since he currently had no powers to do anything else.

"Holy shit…" muttered Jade, jaw dropped. The young woman was caught between shock, confusion, concern, and a strange urge to move to Crowley's side or hit Dean.

"He is not an angel." Nodded Cas, keeping his part of the plan by announcing whether or not he knew the "angel" being brought over. Dean turned and stared at him for a moment.

"Thank you, Cas. Very helpful. What would we do without you?" asked Dean in a sarcastic tone. Cas didn't realize he was being sarcastic and smiled.

"You're very welcome."

"Cas, go get my bag from the couch, get out the demon cuffs and pull a chair away from the table." Instructed Dean, he watched his friend walk away to do just that and turned to Jade.

"You okay?" he asked in a genuinely concerned voice.

"Do you always just hit people before they've had the chance to explain?" she asked in a snappy tone, making the Winchester blink.

"Okay, wow, I've met some ungrateful people in my time but damn, you might take the cake." He retorted, shaking his head as he leaned down and grabbed Crowley's ankles, dragging his unconscious form into the cabin. Jade grudgingly walked into the cabin, wishing she had nothing to do with this entire thing, wishing she was at home watching movies like she'd planned to do today. Cas helped Dean get Crowley onto the chair and cuffed his hands behind the back of it before coiling a rope around his chest and the back of the chair.

"You said something about explaining. What did you mean?" Cas asked Jade in a curious tone.

"I meant that he wasn't here to cause trouble. He said something about having lost his power and needed your guys' help." She explained, standing awkwardly with her arms crossed.

"Yeah, right. He's not dumb enough to come to me when he's got no powers to keep his ass alive." Piped up Dean, cracking open a beer.

"Dean, it is very possible that he did not lie to her." Said Cas, thinking of how easily Dean was able to knock him out.

"Bullshit. He always lies." Retorted the Winchester, reaching into his coat and grabbing the flask of holy water.

"Whatever, you still didn't have to do that." Said Jade, extremely unnerved by this whole situation, more so than she was in the car with just Crowley. Dean ignored her and opened the flask before dousing Crowley's face with it. The King of Hell's eyes started to ease open but Dean stared in confusion as there was no reaction, no burning.

"Cas, did you or Sam not bless the water that was put in this?"

"I blessed it myself, Dean. It is holy water."

"Bloody hell… " grumbled Crowley before trying to get up, his eyes snapped open wider when he couldn't and he looked up at his captors before sighing.

"The hell's goin on, Crowley?" demanded Dean, dousing him in the face again.

"….Would you stop that already? It's not going to work better this time than it did half a minute ago. Now untie me."

"Tell me what's goin on first."

"If I knew for certain, I wouldn't have come here, would I, prat?! Now let me go! I'm not playing this game with you again!" retorted Crowley, voice raised in annoyance.

"You can sit there and get as pissy as you want, I'm not untying you til you give me some sort of information." Replied Dean, walking away from him as though he wasn't even there. Crowley turned his attention to Cas.

"You're not as stupid as he is. You know I wouldn't be here if I had no other choice. Untie me, Castiel." Pleaded Crowley in a softer, friendly tone. Cas looked at Dean then back at Crowley.

"I'm afraid I don't trust you very much, Crowley. I stand behind Dean's decision." He replied before walking away as well. The King turned his attention to the woman he'd come here with, brows raised.

"Darling?...help me out, would you?" he asked. Jade looked at the other two, thought about saying "no" just to be spiteful, then walked over to untie him.

"This entire thing is ridiculous…." She mumbled, working at the knot before Dean grabbed her arm.

"You untie him and we can pull you up a chair and latch you to it right next to him. He stays til I say otherwise."

"He's basically human right now, you ass. What could he possibly do?" she argued, yanking her arm out of his grip.

"You don't know him like we do. There's all kinds of things he could possibly do, power or no power. You have no idea how many times he's screwed us over."

"And what about all the bloody times I've helped!?" shouted Crowley, annoyance turning to anger.

"Don't care. Don't trust you. Now unless you got theories and names for us, shut your trap." Said Dean, walking away again.

"I've got a suspect." He said, Dean stopped and turned to him.

"Who?"

"Not telling until you unshackle me."

"Tell me and I'll untie you."

"Do I have 'twat' written on my forehead?" asked Crowley, brows raised. Dean blinked.

"What?"

"I'm not stupid, Squirrel. Soon as you hear what you want, you'll leave me strapped to this chair and go about your merry way. Untie me or I'm not telling a damn thing. I'll watch everything crumble around us with a grin on my face." Retorted Crowley, eyeing Dean with a narrowed gaze. Dean eyed him back for a few moments then shrugged.

"Alright. Fine. But I'm feelin a little lazy tonight so you can stay in the chair til tomorrow. Then we'll talk and take you off your chains." Replied Dean, walking away and plopping down on the couch.

Jade grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to Crowley, sitting down and folding her arms. Dean looked over and quirked a brow.

"Really?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I hate all of you so far but he's the one I've adjusted to tolerating so, really, I'm gonna sit here." She snapped back.

"Remember what I said. Any untying goes on over there and you get roped up, too." He replied, turning his attention to Sam's laptop.

"Eat me, prick." She retorted, crossing her legs, glancing at Crowley who was grinning at her.

"I think I'm really starting to take a liking to you, darling…" he said lowly so only she would hear.

"Don't talk to me." She grumbled.

****( I'm really happy with how this story is progressing. Hope you guys are enjoying it, too. Leave me a review on your way out. Thanks. )** **


	5. Sympathy For A Devil

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 5: Sympathy For A Devil

Before long, Sam woke up to the sound of arguing in the kitchen and a voice he thought was Crowley's but figured it couldn't have been. Laying in the bed, having difficulty finding motivation to get out of it, he drifted in and out of sleep for roughly another hour after it had gotten quiet outside his door again. Finally, he made himself get up and changed his clothes before stepping out of the bedroom to find Dean napping on the couch and Cas reading while the radio played softly. He scratched his head and passed the back of a soft chair in the living room that Jade had moved to in order to nap herself. Not noticing her, he made his way into the dark kitchen, needing something to eat, not liking how his days and nights were mixed up now.

He opened the cupboard and before he could even set down the glass he grabbed, he nearly jumped out of his skin as a voice he knew spoke.

"Ello, Moose." Said Crowley, softly, having had watched Sam make his way over here like a giant toddler getting up for school. Sam quickly turned to see him tied to the chair and flipped a switch, turning on the dim light over the sink. The old lightbulb's rays washed over a small area but just enough for him to see blood dried beneath Crowley's nose, a bruise on his cheek, and what looked like blood dried by the back of his head.

"…what's going on?" he asked quietly, entirely confused. Cas heard them and knew he should probably say something for Dean's sake but felt Crowley deserved the chance to explain to someone who wasn't going to try and beat the crap out of him right away.

"Well…I came here for help and your hospitable Squirrel knocked me unconscious and tied me up. That's mainly the gist of it." Sighed Crowley quietly. Sam felt a little bit of de ja vu washing over him as he noticed the King's normal attitude of taunting and instigating, no matter the situation, was gone. He seemed genuinely tired, kinda hurt, and, honestly, depressed.

"Why did he do that? What'd you do?" asked Sam, knowing it wasn't a good idea to have sympathy for Crowley but having trouble being as cruel as he should be after the moments they shared in that church not too long ago.

"Nothing. I behave for once and get my ass kicked anyway. Funny how that works. And you hunters wonder why we agents of Hell don't ever try to be a little nicer…" he mused softly then sighed.

"How long did he say he was gonna keep you like this?"

"Til tomorrow. Fun sleepover this'll be." He replied. Sam opened his mouth to speak then saw the woman in the chair near Cas.

"You're the one who had her call and bring you here." He stated.

"Yes." Replied Crowley, leaning his head back, an ache beginning to turn into a pain in his neck, shoulders, and back.

"Why would you do that? That's probably why Dean tied you up. Are you up to something?"

"Because there was no other safe way to get to you lot. I assume I'm being hunted by whatever did this. Plus, if I'd just called you and Dean and said I needed help, there's no assurance I'd get it."

"This power thing that hit Cas hit you, too…" stated Sam, surprised.

"Yes, and shortly after, the building I was in when it happened was destroyed by someone or something powerful smiting it."

"So, why'd you come to us?..."

"Because I need help, Sam. I can't get back to Hell right now nor do I have my powers to take care of this on my own. I had no one else to go to. I'm not really the kinda bloke who has friends on speed dial. Or at all." He explained then tried to crack his neck. Sam looked at him for a few moments then stepped over and pulled out his pocket knife, earning himself a confused and startled look.

"Relax." He said before cutting the rope, then he saw the cuffs.

"Your darling brother has the key." Said Crowley, rolling his shoulders a little bit and nodding towards the couch where Dean lay snoring.

"Pants or coat pocket?"

"Coat." Was the reply. Sam walked over and grabbed Dean's coat that was lain across the back of a chair, searching the pockets til he found the key. He walked back over and reached behind Crowley, unlocking the cuffs and taking them off.

"Keep in mind, you do pull anything on us and I'll tie you back up myself." Said Sam, watching the King stand up and stretch a little bit.

"Understood, Moose."

"That girl who she said she was?" asked Sam, walking to the fridge and getting himself a drink finally.

"Yes, she is. She's also a royal pain in the ass." He sighed, rubbing his wrists.

"Well, at this point, we can't let her leave until it's over. For her own safety and ours. Do you have a clue what's happened?"

"I have an idea of what's happened. Even a suspect. Nothing in stone."

"Did you tell Dean?" asked Sam, who then raised brows at the look Crowley gave him.

"Of course I didn't tell the prat! He knocked me out and tied me up, he should be happy I didn't spit at him."

"Will you tell me?" asked Sam, knowing he was playing a lot nicer than he probably should.

"Yes. All of you. Soon as I'm assured that I won't be chained up like a dog again. You make that a certainty, or as close to one as we can get, and I'll start handing out pamphlets…" was Crowley's snarky retort as he suddenly grabbed a beer off the table and opened it. Sam raised a brow.

"You're gonna drink beer?..."

"I'm somewhat in this predicament called being human, I'm thirsty, alcohol sounds good." He replied, then took a few long drinks before disgust covered his features, bringing a chuckle from Sam.

"Not that good?"

"Ugh….it's like sex in a canoe. Fucking close to water. Dirty water, at that. You lot have no taste." He sighed, downing the rest of it simply because he'd already started drinking it. Making another face as he set the empty bottle down, he shrugged his coat off.

"You're not adjusting very well. By the way, gonna need to start eating, showering, changing clothes, using a toilet, brushing teeth, deodorant…all that great human, needy stuff." Said Sam, laughing softly as he fixed himself a sandwich. Crowley eyed him with a narrowed gaze, seemingly not amused.

"Something funny, Moose?..."

"Yeah, this is the most amusing thing I've seen in a long time. King of Hell, pain in the ass Crowley, stuck in the same human boat as the rest of us. So yeah, I'm laughing. This is like a real life sitcom." Came Sam's chuckling response as he moved to the table, sitting with his food.

"Oh…well, how cute…a Moose's sense of humor…" remarked Crowley, not sitting down, glad to stand for a while. He opened the freezer, stared, blinked, then shut it, turning to eye Sam again with a disappointed expression.

"What?..." asked Sam, around a mouthful of food, like his brother usually did.

"Frozen chicken nuggets but no wrapped meat for cooking actual food? Like…oh, pork chops? Steaks? Hell, even ground beef for burgers?..."

"Well, sorry that we're not a five star hotel, Crowley. We came here on short notice and have only gone to a little carry-out grocery store for food. Not exactly where you'd find good meat. Got cold cut deli meat, though." Answered Sam, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"You can't even take down a deer for meat that way? Or a duck? Nothing?..."

"We don't generally hunt for food. We don't have the time."

"You have all the bloody time in the world…..hunters who don't hunt for their food….it's like a bad joke…" grumbled Crowley, now moving to the table and sitting. They sat in silence for a few moments before Cas came over quietly.

"How is your head?" he asked, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"What do you care, you feathery bastard?" snapped Crowley, not bothering to even look at Cas.

"I did not entirely agree with Dean's approach, you know. But I didn't have time to argue with him about it." Explained Cas, sitting down by Sam.

"Goody gumdrops. Look at all the fucks I don't give…" was the retort, accompanied with raised brows and a bitter smirk that faded after a moment. Crowley reached back and gingerly touched where his head smacked the porch post, it was scabbing, his hair hardened from dry blood, it hurt to put any pressure on it, however.

"Wow…I think you would be less grumpy if you got something on your stomach and took some pain pills. I can get that stuff for you if you want." Offered Sam, still feeling pretty bad for him, despite it being him, understanding his point of view of this entire situation.

"Hey, I think I could use some of that stuff, too, whoever you are…" said Jade, walking over and rubbing her face, tired but unable to sleep any longer. Sam stood up and put his plate in the sink before giving her a polite smile.

"I'm Sam. Sorry you had a somewhat…violent way of meeting Cas and my brother. I've heard all about it. We've just got a lot of history with Crowley and Dean, well, can't decide if he hates him or not. That's all." He explained, she widened her eyes at how much more easy-going he was than she would've expected.

"…thanks. I like you more than your brother. You don't flip out over everything." She said, moving to the table and sitting at the last open chair, right next to Crowley, who eyed her momentarily.

"Yeah, the polite route is generally my thing. So…am I making two or three sandwiches?..." he asked, looking at them then at Cas, who nodded.

"I don't care what's on mine, either, I just want food. I can help, if you want…" offered Jade, halfway standing up. Sam waved his hand at her.

"Sit down. I got it. It's nice to do something other than have crappy sleep or research." Said Sam as he began to make sandwiches for everyone, halfway through he decided to make one for Dean as well.

Which was a good idea considering that due to the bustle of movement of everyone being up, the elder Winchester woke and rolled off the couch onto his feet, stretching and turning to look in the kitchen. In a matter of half a second, his expression of sleepy but well-restedness turned to anger then confusion as he saw everyone seated at the table. They'd all eaten and were all chatting, Jade even seeming to have cheered up. Crowley was the only one not partaking in conversation, he sat at one end of the table with his arms crossed, either brooding, in deep thought, or both. Dean walked around the couch and towards the table, gaining everyone's attention immediately, spreading a tension that was so thick it could almost be physically seen.

"Sam, what the hell's going on?" demanded Dean, confused, frustrated, and feeling undermined.

"I got everyone food. Yours is on the counter." Answered Sam, not addressing what Dean was clearly annoyed about.

"That's not what I'm talking about. Why the hell is Crowley untied? You don't even know what happened, you were asleep, I-" began Dean, in his ranting tone. Sam cut his brother off.

"Actually, I do know what happened. I talked to Crowley, Cas, and Jade while we ate. He's untied because he's actually here for help." Explained Sam, getting up, gathering plates and dropping them in the sink, not planning on washing them himself.

"You actually believe that he's not up to something?" asked Dean, walking towards his brother, in more disbelief than anger.

"In what world other than one where I'm also deprived of powers could you have knocked me unconscious, Squirrel? Rhetorical question, by the way, don't answer." Piped up Crowley for the first time since he had snapped at Cas. Sam jumped back in before Dean could get too pissed, shooting Crowley a reproachful look for instigating.

"He's not lying. For once. And….he says he has an idea who did this and how. We've been waiting for you to wake up to discuss it." Answered Sam, looking at his brother. He knew Dean bounced back and forth between actually considering Crowley some sort of friend and not trusting/wanting to hit him. It all depended on what day of the week it was.

"Alright. Alright. Fine. I'll chill out. So, what's goin on, then?" asked Dean after heaving a sigh, voice a lot calmer. Crowley eyed him a moment.

"I'll tell….when you apologize." He replied. Dean opened and closed his mouth a few moments, then gave him an annoyed glare.

"Seriously? Can't we act like adults?" he asked.

"Right, well, acting like adults would've meant not _punching me in the bloody face within a second of seeing me!_" snapped Crowley, clearly still miffed about it.

"Fine. I'm sorry I punched you in the face. Better, cry baby?" sighed Dean, going to the counter and taking a bite of his sandwich.

"A tiny bit. Maybe put a bit more sincerity in it next time…" grumbled Crowley.

"Yeah, yeah….what've you got to tell us?" asked Dean, raising brows at him.

"I tell you what I know and then you let me rest for a while. In a spare bed, not a bloody chair. Got it?"

"Got it. Sure. Talk." Replied Dean before taking another bite. Crowley looked at them all for a moment before clearing his throat.

"I think our main culprit is a warlock that I've been after for a few weeks. He's what you'd call the alpha warlock of dark magic. The first one." Explained the King.

"Like the alpha vampires and werewolves we rounded up for you a while back?" asked Sam, brows furrowed.

"Precisely. Except he's a warlock of dark magic."

"Which makes him?..." asked Dean, leaving it an open ended question.

"A hell of a lot more dangerous, that's what. He was a business partner of Lucifer's during the Old Testament times. Takes a lot of power and a lot of inner evil to be good enough to be buddy, buddy with that prick." Answered Crowley, taking a drink of his glass of water.

"Why were you after him? Hunting him? To lock him up? Kill him?" asked Dean before finishing off his sandwich.

"To imprison him in Hell, permanently, where he can never escape or use any of his power. Like we've done with ole Lucy."

"Why? We've never heard of him, which makes me assume he hasn't done much recently." Said Sam, earning himself an 'are you stupid?' look from Crowley.

"A; he's out to get me. Little bastard has had a vendetta against me for centuries and now that I'm running Hell, he's decided it's a fantastic idea to knock me off my throne. B; haven't you ever heard that the greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he didn't exist? This warlock is an expert at covering his tracks. Keeps him from being found or even suspected. Angels obviously don't like him either." Explained Crowley, eyeing the Winchesters.

"You are speaking of Ainfean." Said Cas, glancing at Sam and Dean when they stared at him.

"You've heard of this dick?" asked Dean.

"I never thought any of it was true. Just bedtime stories. Only the archangels and a few select other angels would know for certain of his existence." Explained the tired looking angel.

"Yes, Cas, Ainfean. He's very real, and very much a prat." Said Crowley, looking at Cas now.

"Yes, however, one warlock does not have the power to do this to all angels and demons on earth. Not even him, Crowley." Said Cas, brows furrowed.

"You're right. Which is why I know he didn't do it alone. Think about it. All it would take is one archangel, or a clever feathery bastard up there to band with him for any reason at all." Said Crowley, looking at Cas, who's eyes widened.

"….Oh. Yes, that is true."

"Wait, how do we know it was in Heaven? Maybe you've got people turning traitor, Crowley." Challenged Sam, finally jumping in again.

"Of course I've got bastards plotting against me. But none of them would be worth his attention. Not for something this big. They're also too afraid of me to truly take action. Besides, we all saw something try and smite right after powers were taken. It came from above. Bright light. Heaven's light." Said Crowley, pointing up as he said the last part.

"So who do you think is working with this...warlock guy?" asked Dean, opening himself a beer.

"No idea. If I did, I'd tell you and we'd devise a plan. We'll have to wait and find out." Answered Crowley, getting up slowly and rubbing his face.

"Alright. Go sleep. That spare room used to be me and Sam's. It's got two beds if anyone else wants to sleep by a bathroom." Said Dean, getting up and grabbing the laptop. Crowley walked off to that spare room without saying anything else, exhausted and sore. Cas watched Jade rubbing her tired eyes and spoke up again.

"You should go rest. Something tells me things are about to get very chaotic. If Crowley antagonizes you at all, you can always shout for one of us." He said, blue eyes staring straight at her. She sighed then nodded.

"Okay…sucked sleeping in that recliner. I still feel so tired. Thanks. I'm sure I'll be fine." She said, getting up and walking out of the kitchen to that room.

Crowley had slid his jacket and tie off and was busy unbuttoning his shirt when she opened the door, walked in, and shut it behind her. She rolled her eyes by habit when he sighed.

"Brilliant. Now I get to listen to you snore like a wildebeest." He said, kicking his shoes off. She glared at him as she passed, headed to the other bed.

"I do _not_ snore like a wildebeest, you ass." She retorted, rifling through the dresser until she found an old t-shirt of Dean's that she could sleep in. Wanting to get out of her clothes after being stuck in them for over 24 hours.

"Oh, yes, you do. Thought I was going to go deaf in the car." He said, sliding his shirt off his shoulders. She deliberately kept her attention on gathering a t-shirt and old shorts of Dean's, doing all she could to not glance at him.

"Can you just shut up and go to sleep? Holy shit…I swear…" she replied, taking off her coat then moving towards the bathroom.

"Oh, now you're going to deprive me of a show?...Such a prude." He sighed, not even sure why he was using energy to antagonize her, probably just habit at this point. She shut the door without looking at him, locking it and changing from her clothes to Dean's old clothes, which were much too big and baggy for her, making them great pajamas. When she opened the door again, all of his clothes but boxers were on the floor and he was laying on his back, hands behind his head, tiredly looking at the ceiling fan. She made herself look away from the mess of thin chest hair visible where the blanket wasn't covering him, and from the tattoos on his upper arms.

"Can't turn off the light?" she asked in a snippy tone to cover the fact that she had been partially staring, making her way to the other bed.

"I'd assumed you'd get your panties in a bunch had you walked out here with no light. Apparently, you get snippy no matter what I do. Right ray of sunshine, you are…" he said, looking over and staring at her for a few moments.

"Yeah, well, maybe it's cause you're a dick." She replied, climbing under the covers of her bed. Reaching over, she turned off the light and rolled to her side. It was quiet for a few moments and she assumed he was asleep and began to drift off herself until he spoke again.

"Feel free to sneak over here if you have nightmares, pumpkin…" he said lowly, tone clearly teasing. For some reason, trying to get a rise out of her before they both passed out. She just rolled her eyes.

"Shhh." Was her only reply just before she finally did drift into a deep sleep.

****( still not getting any reviews. Wish you guys would leave me some. I like this story a lot and would like to hear feedback. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the next chapter. )** **


	6. Wriggle And Writhe

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Nano: I'm so glad you enjoy the plot and character interactions. I've been worried about it since I started since this is my first time doing a Supernatural fanfic. Thank you so much for reviewing, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

**Kelsery: overjoyed that you love this, and the idea of Sam and Dean having to deal with Crowley and Cas as humans, basically babysit the both of them, was my main reason for deciding to do a story. I thought it would be hilarious. Thank you so much for your review, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

**Codename pip: not entirely sure what whump means but Crowley and "love" in the same sentence is always good! Thank you so much for your review, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. **

**Author's Note: this chapter will be focused on Jade and Crowley. Considering they're my main paring for this story, if you have no interest in that, you probably shouldn't be reading this. Just saying. **

**Warning Label: sex. Crowley sex. I am not liable for any fantasizing or fainting that may occur from reading this chapter. It's all Mark Sheppard's fault. **

Twilight Zone

Chapter 6: Wriggle and Writhe

Bolting awake in a puddle of sweat, breathing as though she'd just run a marathon, Jade sat straight up in bed. The details of her dream were quickly fading away but she didn't need to remember all the details to know what it was about. She ran a hand down her flushed cheek, looking over at Crowley's bed, praying he was asleep so he couldn't make snide comments about her having a wet dream about him. Which is exactly what she'd had, except it was a little more intense than a run of the mill sexual dream. She knew that being this half asleep and still shuddering from it, that she wouldn't be able to lie about it, and couldn't' deal with him knowing.

Heaving a sigh of relief when she recognized his slow, steady breathing that meant he was still asleep, she lay back down. Taking the time to toss the covers off of herself, she unwillingly found her mind trying to grasp at details so that she couldn't forget them. She was struck with a sudden urge to slap herself when part of her mind begin to replay his invite to his bed and she sighed.

"Dammit…" she grumbled quietly.

At this point, she didn't know what she wanted to do. She was still pissed at him for basically kidnapping her, but then again, was she really? This was, in all honesty, the most exciting thing to ever happen in her life. Yes, it was dangerous, very dangerous, but it beat sitting at home alone on the computer. She tried to think on being pissed at him still for the constant antagonizing of her, but found that didn't work either. In fact, it was fun to have a quick banter back and forth with someone who'd always have some sort of comeback. It was even entertaining (or maybe arousing) to see that smug smirk on his face and mischievous glint in his eyes when he got going on instigating an argument.

Jade was brought out of her thoughts in the dark room when she heard him moving. Looking over, she saw him roll over in bed, seeming a little restless himself, tonight. Except, his restlessness didn't seem to be from the same sort of dreaming that hers was. If she had to guess, she'd almost believe he was having a nightmare. That couldn't be, of course, what could the King of Hell have nightmares about? Wasn't he supposed to be the one who caused nightmares?

As Jade let her mind wander over what the issue might be, he awoke, startled and almost rolling off of his bed. He moved onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, chest heaving as he worked on calming himself down. The dream had already mostly faded from his memory. It was along the lines of being completely helpless, tied down, chained down, Lucifer back and explaining to him that he would never, ever be forgiven, and that he was now his pet to torment however he pleased. Crowley rubbed his face momentarily and sighed.

"I'm really starting to hate this human bollocks…" he mumbled, missing when he didn't have to sleep, therefore, didn't chance suffering nightmares.

"Being human isn't all that bad." She whispered before she could stop herself. He quickly looked over and she could tell by his tone that he was angry she had been awake and probably seen him wake up like that, in a vulnerable state.

"It's fucking terrible. It's being needy, fragile, weak….absolute pain in the ass. Why are you awake?" he snapped at her. She found that her awkwardness from the dream she'd had had faded as she slipped into her own snappy tone.

"Because I fucking feel like it and don't need your permission." She retorted, half sitting up, giving him a dirty look, amazed at how easily he could make her mood swing.

"Well, you bloody well woke me up." He replied, giving her an annoyed look.

"I did not. You were already restless, probably having a nightmare like a little kid." She replied, knowing it was a low blow but not caring now that he'd irked her again. She regretted it as soon as she heard the anger in his tone turn mischievous.

"And why were you awake, again? Not dreaming about me, were you? Maybe woke up to reach a hand down your panties and pretend it was me?..." he taunted, obviously having no clue what her dream had been, merely taunting.

"I!...Shut your mouth for once in your miserable existence, would you?" she snapped then inwardly cursed herself for getting defensive when she saw his face light up in a way that infuriated her, his chuckle making it even worse.

"Wow…almost like I touched a nerve, there…..or you wish I did."

"I said to shut your mouth, you pervert."

"You really need a nice shag. Honestly. Might make you a little happier in life."

"You're one to talk, you've been bitchy since I met you."

"Exactly why we should help each other, don't you think?..." he replied, smirk plastered on his face but his eyes closed as he lay in bed. _There's that invitation again…damn him._ She thought, eyes wandering over the hair on his chest until she shook her head.

"Again; shut up and go to sleep." She retorted, laying down and making sure she didn't look at him. Not liking how tempted she felt.

"Oh, come on…I know you like me. I wasn't born yesterday, darling, I've caught you eyeing me since I took you from your house. Why not come join me?" he asked, still just taunting, not taking any of this seriously. Now caught between wanting to go pounce on him or spitefully tell him off, Jade lay there in silence, hoping he thought she was ignoring him. She assumed he was messing with her and therefore came to the decision to be spiteful, not willing to let him verbally abuse her for actually hopping in bed with him.

"Eat me." She retorted in a snappy tone.

"Come over here and I will…" he chuckled, enjoying this little game of banter that they'd had going since the car ride.

"Oh, shut up. Good lord…" she sighed, getting out of bed and going to the bathroom.

"Actually, the proper title is Your Majesty or Sire…" he replied, smirking, finding himself eyeing her legs as she walked, eyes adjusted to the dark.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm getting a shower so I don't have to hear you loving the sound of your own voice for a little while. _Sire…_" she replied sarcastically, going into the bathroom and shutting the door behind herself. She left it unlocked, telling herself that it meant nothing and trying to ignore the voice in her head hoping for certain things.

Crowley watched the door shut and listened for the tell-tale click of the lock, brows raising when it never sounded. He lay there, contemplating going back to sleep or continuing to mess with her. Messing with her was the only entertainment he really had at the moment, the boys and Cas would take it too seriously. Wishing he had his powers again, for the hundredth time, he slid out of bed, desperately missing when he could snap his fingers or wave his hand and make things happen.

He waiting until he heard the shower start running before walking to the door. Leaning against the frame on his side of it, he tilted his head, ears catching the sound of the curtain opening then closing as she stepped into the shower. Trademark smirk splitting his features, he slowly, quietly, opened the bathroom door and reached in to the light switch, flicking it off and pulling his hand back. Almost immediately, she screamed and he heard several things being knocked over. Unable to help himself, he started laughing, loud and hard.

"You son of a bitch! I'm gonna beat the shit out of you!" she shouted from the shower, curtain moving as she tried to carefully find her way out.

"Gonna have to find your way out first, aren't you?" he asked, chuckling. Before he could hear her reply, the bedroom door swung open and Sam flicked the light on.

"What the hell's going on? Is she alright? What are you doing? I….oh…dammit…" rambled off Sam before quickly looking away like he'd just seen his parents naked. Crowley raised his eyebrows.

"I was turning the light back on for her. What's your malfunction, Moose?" he asked, still leaning against the doorframe, reaching in and holding his hand over the light switch so Jade couldn't turn it back on just yet.

"You can't….put some more clothes on? Or sleep in more clothes?..." complained Sam, making Crowley remember that he was in just boxers currently.

"I usually sleep naked, be happy I've got pants on at all." Retorted Crowley, feeling Jade's wet hand start tugging at his to turn on the light.

"This is _way _more than I ever wanted to see of you…" replied Sam, still looking the other way.

"So piss off. Going to shower myself in a few moments. No one's dead, go back to your slumber party." Said Crowley, slapping at Jade's hand once before covering the bathroom light switch again.

Jade heard Sam mumble something then the bedroom light went out again and the door shut as he left. She was already embarrassed and hadn't wanted Sam to know what was going on, hence why she quietly beat at Crowley's hand. Before long, the door was pushed open by Crowley's foot, making her move away from fighting over the lightswitch in the dark bathroom so that the door didn't hit her. She quickly grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself as she saw his form step in and shut the door behind him, leaving the light off.

He let his eyes adjust to the darkness and allowed his gaze to roam over her, noticing his own intentions drifting away from simply messing with her. Never having been too much of an indecisive being, he finally settled on a few things. Yes, she was annoying and liked to piss him off as much as he pissed her off, but she was entertaining. And from what he could tell was under that towel, as well as her unintentional admission of wet dreams about him, he realized that he wanted her.

"What are you doing?..." she asked quietly, nervously.

"Eyeing you, darling, spin for me, would you?" he replied, smirking.

"Uh, no, don't work like that. Buy me dinner first."

"Possible end of the world at our doorstep and you're going to play hard to get?" he asked, she moved to the shower and turned the water off so it wasn't cold when she got back in.

"Sorry, guess I'm a classy girl. You're probably not used to classy girls." She retorted, instinctively clutching her towel around herself a little tighter when he turned the bathroom light on.

"Tell me…why exactly do you keep holding out on me? We could've had fun in the car ride and in bed the last few hours. You're interested, despite how nippy you get towards me, I can tell. What is it, hm? Been so long that you're scared?...Never had it at all?..." he asked with raised brows. She wished he'd kept the light off, not so he wouldn't be able to see her but so that she couldn't see all of him so well. It was a lot easier to be a pain in the ass towards him when she couldn't see his smirk, those dark eyes, that chest hair, and, God help her, those tattoos on his upper arms and shoulders. Not to mention her eyes' incredible urge to aim down at his boxers, which she had to struggle against every few moments.

"I'm not a virgin, if that's what you're implying, though it's none of your business anyway." She retorted, happy to hear the bite in her tone hadn't abandoned her this time.

"If it was truly none of my business, you wouldn't have just told me that, darling. So, been a long time, then? Forgotten what a good shag does to your body, mind, and mood?" he asked, smirking relentlessly, having seen the look on her face change briefly when the light was switched on.

"Sex isn't all that fantastic. All men boast and brag and when it comes right down to do the work, I can get better results by myself. They enjoy themselves and I'm left frustrated, so yeah, it's been a long while, but by my own damn choice." She replied, sincere irritation in her tone this time, not just playing their game of back and forth insults.

"Normal men don't have what I have. I've never been stuck a human man til just recently…" he answered, voice a little lower, almost a sort of purr. It sent shivers down her spine and took all her concentration to hide that fact from him, though she was almost sure he'd be able to tell anyway, which annoyed her.

"So? You're not succeeding at convincing me that you're worth my time, no matter what you are." She answered, the bite out of her voice somewhat.

"Oh, lover, I've had centuries to perfect my talents. More than centuries, more time than I'd care to admit. As I said, I'm more experienced than any human man will ever be." He answered in the same low tone, eyes never leaving her. She felt her cheeks flush and wished they wouldn't.

"I'm still not convinced. I'm getting back in the shower. Turn the light off on me again and I swear to God that I'll break your fingers." She retorted, glad to hear the snippiness back in her tone. She stepped into the shower and shut the curtain again before taking her towel off and tossing it out. Crowley chuckled and caught it, folding it and setting it on the counter by the sink before watching the vague outline of her form as the water was turned back on. After soon coming to a decision, he leaned over and locked the bathroom door.

Jade was just enjoying the feel of the hot water again, trying to get her mind out of the gutter as she soaked her hair. The rush of the water blurred her sense of sound but she did think she felt a flutter of cool air, almost like the curtain to the shower had been opened then closed. Flattered and angry all at once, she moved her head from the water and wiped her eyes, expecting to turn around and catch him peeking in. Before she could turn, however, a pair of big, warm hands snaked around her waist as though their owner owned her as well. A surprised gasp left her lips and she felt part of a scruffy beard rub against her back near her shoulder, towards her neck where it stayed.

"Are you sure you're still not convinced?...Your body seems to be saying otherwise…" he purred behind her ear before pressing his lips to the soft, wet skin just beneath her ear, earning another gasp. From how she'd been acting, he fully expected her try to hit him or knock him away, probably getting them both injured since she didn't seem to think things through much. However, his eyes widened in his own surprise when she covered one of his hands with her own and urged it down between her legs. He could hear her breathing already increasing to soft, rapid panting, the simple sound of that sending a jolt of arousal through him. Obliging with her urging, he pushed his fingers through the smattering of curls, nudging her leg to move with his own before cupping her heated center, earning a soft whimper from her.

"All this excitement just for me, is it?..." he purred into her ear with a smirk, slipping a finger past her folds and slowly, teasingly, circling her bundle of nerves with it. Jade reached back and clutched at the back of his head, hand fisting some of his hair for something to cling onto.

"…oh, God…." She muttered in a breathy, shuddering whimper. Trying to deal with the teasing suspense, his heat against her back, and that damn voice of his that he knew was unfairly sexy or he wouldn't be muttering in her ear the way that he was. He'd hardly even done anything yet and this was already far more enjoyable than any experiences she'd ever had, she was now starting to wonder if she was at all prepared for this.

"He's got nothing to do with it, lover…" he answered, hot breath against her ear, sinful finger finally pressing against her clit and rubbing it very slowly. She replied with a tug on his hair that made him grit his teeth and a rough moan, hips bucking against his hand already, without her control.

He bit back a slight groan at how desperately her hips jolted against his hand, quickly deciding, he pulled his hand away and turned her to face him, pressing her back against the wall of the shower, the hot water now raining down on his back. She responded by grabbing the sides of his face and tugging him to her, Crowley willingly closing the gap between them by firmly planting his lips to hers in a searing kiss. Hands sliding down her sides, he grasped her ass, giving a possessive squeeze and causing her to yelp in surprise into the kiss. They separated their lips for air and she took the moment to laugh softly, not having had expected him to do that. He joined her with a soft chuckle then lifted her up, Jade wrapping her legs around his waist as he did so, her arms slipping around his neck. One of her hands slid into his hair and carefully moved over where his head injury was scabbed on his scalp. His eyes slipped closed briefly, in a response of peace and pleasure, letting her know that he loved hands in his hair. Leaning in, she gently pulled his bottom lip between hers where it had split from being punched and was still a little swollen, earning herself his first moan of the evening.

For a few moments, he wasn't even sure how to react. The sudden gentleness and damn near affection completely caught him off guard. To say he wasn't used to it would be an understatement. It was different from simple sexual gentleness, it was sincere on a deeper level. As though she actually had care for him rather than pure lust. His eyes opened before he could decide how to respond and caught her gaze as she broke the kiss.

Confused by the look of utter shock and incomprehension on his face, she leaned in, somewhat hugging his head to speak by his ear softly.

"Please don't make me wait any longer…I need you…" she said lowly, half moaning before nuzzling his neck. He found his breath caught in his throat, a first in a situation like this, but quickly leaned in and pressed lips to her neck before nipping the skin near her pulse point. Reaching down and grabbing himself, he rubbed her bundle of nerves teasingly with his hardened tip, grinning against her skin when she clutched at his hair and pressed her nails to his back in response, moaning into his ear.

Done with foreplay of sorts, he pressed his tip against her throbbing entrance and slowly started to push in, gently pulling her hips down on him. He couldn't stop himself from pressing his face against her neck and groaning loudly as he put an end to the painfully teasing suspense. Her loud moan was one of pleasure tinged with pain, his favorite kind, as he refused to stop in order to allow her to adjust, simply pulling her down on him slowly until he was fully inside her. Her nails dug thin, red trenches in his back as he stretched her far beyond what she thought was her limit, causing her to pull on his hair hard enough to nearly rip a chunk of it from his scalp. This caused him to let out a groan that was damn near a growl as he grit his teeth then bit her neck in response.

Panting against the side of his face, she began rolling her hips without warning then putting her hands on his shoulders to brace herself enough in order to lift and drop on him slowly. He groaned again, this one more of pleasure than a dominant one, and began grinding up into her at the pace she set. Before long, her moans got louder and her hips started bucking wildly when she rose and dropped down on him. She was moving so roughly that he nearly lost balance at one point and ended up pressing her firmly against the shower wall again, pinning her still and beginning to set his own pace. A few slow grinds then a few random pounds, keeping her body from being able to predict what the next thrust was going to be. A short amount of time after he began doing that, her moans went dead silent as the pit of her stomach clenched up painfully tight then released, making her clamp down on him and causing her to cry out and cling to him, this orgasm unlike any other she'd ever been fortunate enough to experience. Crowley groaned and bit her jawline as she tightened around him and bucked hard and fast to ride her through her release, distantly noticing that the water had gone from hot to hardly warm. Once her orgasm settled to a throbbing and daze, he gave a final thrust before pulling out of her swiftly and releasing in the tub where the water washed it away, groaning and pressing his face to her neck again as he did so.

Immediately feeling empty as he pulled out, still throbbing and dazed, she slid her hands into his hair again and hugged his head to her neck, panting and trying to catch her breath. His own breath was hot and heavy against her skin, feeling the tiredness from release that he knew humans experienced for the first time. After a few moments of staying like this in silence, the water falling on his back now cool, he caught his breath and carefully set her on her feet, hoping her legs would hold her up since his were starting to get wobbly themselves.

Jade stood on her own, a little worried herself about how her legs would hold up but it seemed they'd do just fine to get from the bathroom to bed. Eyes on his handsome face, she grabbed his scruffy cheeks again and pressed her lips to his once more. Another soft, affectionate kiss rather than a lustful one. He returned it gently before breaking their lips apart.

"I still have to buy you dinner?..." he asked, slightly smirking.

"Shut up and help me out of the shower." She replied, smirking back this time rather than giving him an annoyed look. He chuckled tiredly and pulled the curtain open after shutting the water off, stepping out onto a towel on the floor and helping her out so she didn't slip. He tossed her towel to her and pulled one off the shelf for himself, doing a quick job of mostly drying himself before grabbing his boxers to put them on.

"You don't want a clean pair?" she asked, one brow raised in an _I might be judging you right now_ look.

"What, from Moose and Squirrel's collection in there? I doubt any would fit." He replied but still didn't pull his boxers on yet. She secured the towel around herself and unlocked the door, opening it and walking out, gone for only a few moments before returning with a pair of old fashioned, loose fitting boxer shorts.

"These should. They're not the tight, fitted type." She said then yawned as she pulled on a clean pair of old boxer shorts herself and a t-shirt, grabbing his dirty pair from his hand and tossing them in the hamper with her own. He raised brows at her a moment then pulled the clean pair on, glad Sam or Dean, whoever they'd belonged to, had liked sleeping in oversized boxers.

Walking slowly back into the room, he lay back down in his bed, scooting over to one side and eyeing her as she shut off the bathroom light and walked in as well. Outside the window, the black of night was slowly turning to a faint light blue of early morning. She went to move to her bed but stopped when he spoke.

"You don't really expect me to let you get away with that after what we just did, do you?" he asked quietly, she gave him a surprised look and moved over to his bed instead. Slipping beneath the covers next to him, she scooted close and lay her head on his chest as he settled on his back, smiling when she felt his arm slide around her.

"Wow, what would everyone think if they knew the king of hell was cuddly?" she teased, chuckling tiredly as she closed her eyes.

"I'd have to kill everyone if they found out. I've a reputation to uphold…" he replied then yawned, his own eyes closing and sleep tugging at him much more forcefully than it had earlier. He waited for her to respond but distantly noticed her breathing had slowed as she fell asleep, soon following her into a sleep that was much more restful and lacking nightmares this time.

****( reading back through that, I can honestly say that I think that's the best sex I've ever written…Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading, please leave a review on your way out. )** **


	7. Slumber Party

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 7: Slumber Party

Dean sighed and took a long drink of hot coffee, listening to some dumb talk show host on a classic rock radio station make jokes everyone has heard a thousand times. He wished they'd just play some tunes or maybe talk about the news instead so he could hear if anything else odd had happened recently. He glanced over at Sam who was putting wood on the fire to keep the cabin warm, the temperatures last night having plummeted alarmingly low.

He opened his mouth to say something to his brother when he saw Cas, a confused expression on his face, get up and walk towards him, seeming to be staring at him.

"Uh….somethin on my face?" asked Dean, returning the confused look.

"Dean." Was the simple reply as Cas pointed past him, out the window. The Winchester turned and blinked a few times, staring. It was raining and foggy.

"What the hell…it was just negative temperatures an hour ago!" he exclaimed. Sam hurried over to a different window then opened the front door, stepping out onto the porch for a few moments then coming back in.

"It feels like late spring out there. This is…not good. We're either about to have a tornado out of season or a blizzard." Said Sam, going towards the couch and grabbing the tv remote, turning it on and looking for a local news station.

"Cas, you got any idea why this is happening? Other than earthly explanations?" asked Dean, moving over to the back of the couch to see the news.

"I..I'm not sure. I can't seem to think of anything, though it's very possible. It's only one incident, Dean. It could be happening for any reason at all." Replied the angel, seeming out of place dressed in an old pair of John's dress pants and a white t-shirt while his own clothing was being cleaned.

"The meteorologists don't know what it is either. They're calling it a freak occurrence and watching for a storm. We should make a supply run, just in case." Said Sam, turning the volume back down on the tv and looking at his brother.

"Alright. You and Cas go. Get matches, food, drinks, toilet paper, soap...enough to be alright for another week." Said Dean, pulling the Impala's keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Sam.

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to stay here?" asked Sam, catching the keys.

"I'm sure. I want Cas with you in case a storm hits while you're out, I don't want you stranded alone. Be careful with my Baby, no matter what weather hits." Replied the elder Winchester, walking back into the kitchen and refilling his coffee. Sam was struck with a sudden reminder of their father but kept it to himself, as he always did, grabbing a coat, tossing another one to Cas, and heading out.

Dean stood at the window with his coffee, watching them drive off, before turning and leaning against the counter. He stared across the cabin at the small fire burning in the fireplace then looked at his watch. Deciding they'd had more than enough rest, he walked to the door of the bedroom that had belonged to him and Sam once upon a time.

Not thinking anything of it, he turned the handle and opened the door, looking into the somewhat dark room. He opened his mouth to wake them up then his brows furrowed as he realized they were both in the same bed. Making a fist, he knocked on the open door without speaking.

Crowley faintly heard knocking in the distance but didn't really start to wake until he felt Jade take a deep breath then start to stretch as she woke up. Her eyes slowly opened and she gave a small smile at the comfortable, lazy warmth of being in his arms. Both of them had moved in the night to lay on their sides, backs to the door, his chest pressed against her back.

Dean couldn't decide if he was more confused or more uncomfortable but kept the knocking for a few more moments until he saw her start moving like she was stretching. He decided the uncomfortable side outweighed the confused side when he could swear there were scratch marks on Crowley's back, the kind from fingernails and not a violent fall on a porch.

"K, yeah, so, I'll be waiting out in the kitchen…" he muttered awkwardly, quickly stepping out and shutting the door behind himself, fully intending to find the whiskey and spike his coffee now.

Crowley yawned but didn't yet open his eyes after hearing Dean speak, still rather out of it. He felt her move as she turned to face him and then her lips against his before he could open his eyes. Kissing back softly for a few moments then letting her lean her head against his.

"Morning…" he mumbled before a lazy smile split his features as she slid her hand into his hair. Jade laughed softly, gently scratching his scalp.

"You're like a puppy. Someone pets your head and you get happy. Is that your so called great weakness? Being pet?" she teased quietly, watching him open his eyes.

"Sure, let's go with that." He answered then yawned, hand reaching to rub his face.

"Pretty sure that was Dean who just woke us up, by the way. I'm not certain, I was kinda out of it." She replied softly, hand moving from his hair to pet and play with his scruffy beard, wondering why she couldn't stop touching him.

"Of course Squirrel would be the one to interrupt sleep." He retorted, releasing her from his grasp and rolling onto his back, tossing the covers half off and stretching with a sigh. She eyed him for a moment then made herself get out of bed to get dressed, trying to keep her lusting under control.

"I don't know if you like jeans but I think it's the only choice you've got. There are a few button shirts in the closet, though." She said, pulling out the oldest pair of Dean's jeans that she could find, ones that he probably wore as a sophomore in high school, the only ones that would have a chance at fitting her tiny figure.

"I'll survive. At least my own clothes will be clean by tomorrow." He sighed, getting out of bed and opening another dresser drawer, looking for a pair of Dean's jeans that he could make work for himself, knowing there were extra boots he could wear to keep from stepping on the pant legs.

"As long as they've got laundry detergent. Ugh, it's so hard to find stuff of theirs that'll fit." She groaned, sitting down to fold the bottom of the jeans since they were too long on her.

"That's because they're both abnormally built. Especially Moose." He replied in a bored tone, pulling out a pair of dark blue jeans that would be baggy on Dean but fit him decently. He pulled them on then sat down and pulled on boot socks before going to the closet, opening it to glance through the shirts inside.

"Why do you call them that? Moose and Squirrel? Where the hell'd that come from?" she asked curiously, tugging her t-shirt off and putting her bra on, then focused on looking for a small shirt.

"Really? Have you ever met other human beings who resemble a Moose and a Squirrel more than they do? Besides…Rocky and Bullwinkle. That sums them up." He answered, grabbing a blue and white flannel shirt then reaching down and snatching up a pair of boots, looking at the size of them then, satisfied, going to sit and pull them on.

"I guess not…" answered Jade, laughing hard soon after as she pictured Sam and Dean's faces plastered over Rocky and Bullwinkle in the movies. She pulled on a plain green t-shirt and looked over in time to see him pulling a dark blue t-shirt on, tucking it in then doing up the jeans.

"Any belts over there? Nevermind…" he muttered, going to his pants on the floor and pulling his belt off of them to put it on, then emptying the pockets of his discarded pants.

"Wow, don't you conform to the red blooded, all American man look well…" she said, finding herself staring, really liking how he looked in jeans. Crowley looked over and raised his brows at her, slightly smirking.

"Well, when traveling with hunters, I do suppose it's best to fit in." he replied, taking a moment to eye her in return as he pulled the flannel shirt on and buttoned it up, leaving it untucked. Jade walked over to him, smiling and grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him closer so she could kiss him briefly.

"Should they not know what we're doing? Would it be bad?" she asked quietly, smile gone, all seriousness in her expression.

"If Dean was in here, then he already knows. Pointless to tell him to lie to the other two about something that isn't their business. I doubt they'll be happy but it'll probably be because they'll think I'm using you. Which wouldn't be any of their business anyway, but still…they can be a pain when they want to be." He explained, not pulling away from her.

"Are you…using me?" she asked before she could stop herself. He kept her gaze and was quiet for a few moments, unsure why he was suddenly nervous about being honest.

"Let's talk about this later. We need to get out there." He answered quietly. Jade kept her eyes on his expressions for a few moments, feeling her heart sink a bit. She let go of him and pulled away.

"Fine." She answered, walking past him and to the door. Crowley heaved a sigh, starting to get a bit annoyed as he followed her out of the room, both of them finding Dean sitting in a chair in the living room.

"Morning, squirrel…" greeted Crowley, walking into the kitchen to find coffee, knowing these dimwits wouldn't have any tea. Dean watched him a moment then stared at Jade.

"Okay, I'm just gonna get this out of the way. What's going on? You two get here, acting like you hate each other, he kidnapped you, then Sam said he was harassing you last night, then I go to get you both up and you're sharing a bed. I wanna know right now what is going on. Blackmail?" asked Dean, looking at Crowley as he started talking then rounding back on Jade.

"Why do you have to know? Look, just relax, okay? _Nobody_, king of hell or not, forces me into bed with them. I'd take torture and death first." Answered Jade, a hint of anger in her tone, even defensiveness.

"So…you willingly slept in bed with him?" asked Dean, thoroughly confused. From all the time he'd known Crowley, even though he might consider him a sort of friend now, he was having trouble understanding why a woman who knew who he was would share a bed with him.

"More than slept…" blurted Crowley as he poured himself coffee, he chuckled, feeling Jade aim a glare at him. Dean blinked and gave the young woman a flabbergasted look.

"Yeah, guess what won't be happening again?" she retorted, spitefully. Crowley turned around and gave her a look.

"Says who?"

"Says me, jackass." She spat back. Crowley chuckled again and gave her a suggestive look that made her grit her teeth against the shivers it sent down her spine.

"Ha, we'll see about that…" he said before turning back to the counter and picking up his mug of coffee.

"Okay…enough of the weird, awkward couple arguing." Blurted Dean, staring at them both as though they were talking dogs, highly uncomfortable with the whole situation at the moment.

"You never answered my question. Why is it any of your business?" asked Jade, looking back at Dean and doing her best to ignore Crowley as he stared at her.

"Because I didn't know if he was pulling any shit with you. Besides, we tend to get into some sticky situations and it's good to know where everyone stands." Explained Dean.

"Oooh, speaking of sticky situations…" taunted Crowley, walking over to the two of them, Jade cut him off.

"Finish that sentence and I will toss that coffee right on your crotch. Swear to God." She retorted, giving him an _I'm getting real sick of your shit _look. He laughed and turned to Dean as she walked away to get her own coffee.

"Right ray of sunshine, isn't she? Can tell she spent a lot of her childhood around Bobby…" said Crowley, turning his attention mostly to the Winchester.

"You….are freaking me out right now. Stop doing what you're doing." Replied Dean, still giving him that uncomfortable look. Crowley laughed softly again then gave him a slightly confused look.

"Where's your moose?..." he asked, glancing around the otherwise empty cabin.

"Sam and Cas went for more supplies. That's what I needed to tell you guys about. It's rainin outside." Said Dean, both Crowley and Jade just blinked at him.

"Yes, squirrel, sometimes it rains…"

"Jackass, it was negative temperatures last night. Weathermen are calling for an ice age style blizzard. Temperatures don't just flip like that. We've gone up about 60 degrees in just an hour."

"Sorry, must be my fault, can't control it…" said Crowley, back to his usual, taunting, peppy self. Dean gave him an annoyed look then turned to Jade as she spoke.

"You guys have a lot of firewood, then, right? Supplies and stuff?" she asked, a bit nervously.

"We're more than set on firewood. Took care of that myself. Sam and Cas should be back any minute with everything else." Said Dean, glancing at his watch, starting to get nervous that they wouldn't be back before the storm hit.

"So, what you're saying, is that we will be snowed in, trapped here, accomplishing nothing for about a week?" asked Crowley, brows raised.

"We can't really go out searching for whoever did this with a damn blizzard raging, can we?"

"You prat, why do you think this storm is happening?...Hm? Dipsy weather patterns?..." asked Crowley, Dean blinked at him.

"The hell else would it be?"

"Morons….come along, squirrel." Said Crowley, setting his coffee down and going to the front door, opening it and stepping out onto the porch then down to the gravel walkway that was nearly a puddle. Just as the impala pulled back in, Sam and Cas getting out with bags.

"What?..." asked Dean, annoyed. Crowley pointed up.

"That look like a human weather pattern to you? Rhetorical question, the answer is no. The answer is no because it's not a human weather pattern. Castiel…" said Crowley, looking at him and the younger Winchester as they walked over. Cas looked up and frowned, seeing the faint blurps of bright light in the stormy clouds.

"Oh…" was all he said, causing Sam and Dean to look up as well and stare in confusion.

"The hell is that Cas?" asked Dean.

"There is a battle raging in Heaven…we should get inside. Now." Replied Cas as the wind suddenly picked up and the temperatures started to drop again, rain turning to sleet. Sam and the rest of them headed back into the cabin.

"What do you mean a battle in Heaven?" asked Sam as he shut the door behind them all, distantly hearing the wind starting to whistle.

"That is what you call fallout. Know how nuclear bombs go off and radiation spreads? Well, winged pricks have playground fights and the fallout is psychotic weather." Explained Crowley, picking his coffee back up.

"What a minute, how bad can this get? Are we safe out here?" asked Jade, nerves getting more and more on edge as the sleet turned to snow outside and the cabin started creaking from the powerful wind gusts. Subconsciously making the decision to move a few steps closer to Crowley, then taking a step back and away when she realized what she was doing.

"We're safer here than anywhere else. This place has got extra generators and was built a long time ago to withstand winter storms. Besides, trying to pack up and leave right now would be suicide." Said Dean, nodding at the window where they all could see it was now white out conditions.

"So we stay until it passes?" she asked, fingers drumming nervously on the counter.

"Til we can dig ourselves out, yeah." Replied Dean, walking away from everyone to put a few more logs on the fire.

"We should all stay in the living room as much as possible. It's the warmest place in the cabin. We need to bring out blankets, pillows…we can move the couch and chairs back and bring out two mattresses." Added Sam, setting the supplies down and going to the bedroom that used to be their dad's the one with the big bed.

"Adorable. Slumber party, hm?" asked Crowley, not at all excited to spend over 24 hours straight within the same breathing space as everybody else.

"Well, dick, currently you and Cas are human. You're not used to being human. You'll find out real soon that negative temperatures can be so cold that they cause physical pain. Call me dumb, but I don't think it would benefit any of us for you and Cas to freeze to death cause you can't tell when it's getting bad." Snapped Dean, moving the couch then the two chairs to the edges of the room, close enough to get heat from the fire but leaving enough space for mattresses.

"Plus, we've got Jade to keep an eye on. If it was just me and Dean, we'd probably risk it, but it's not. We're basically babysitting…" sighed Sam, bringing the large mattress out and laying it down on the floor. He then stood up and gave Crowley and Cas a slightly frustrated look.

"What, moose?" snapped Crowley.

"Wanna go get another mattress and some blankets and pillows, _your highness_?..." asked Sam in an annoyed tone. Cas nodded and walked out to get pillows and blankets, muttering an apology as he went.

"I so love it when you get all touchy, moose. So sexy of you…" taunted Crowley, setting down his coffee and following Cas. Sam rolled his eyes and walked to the kitchen to get himself some coffee and put the supplies away. Jade walked over and began to help him put things away, staying quiet, wondering when and if Dean was going to tell the other two about her and Crowley.

Pulling the mattress off the frame, Crowley sighed and sat it on the floor on its side, basically pushing it into the living room then giving it a shove so it flopped over onto the floor next to the other one. Dean raised his eyebrows at him.

"Pissed off, are you?" asked the elder Winchester.

"Marginally frustrated." Replied Crowley, watching poor Cas haul the pillows and blankets in all by himself, having to make three trips to do it.

Sam sighed once he and Jade had put everything away, looking out the window as it got dark an hour earlier than it was supposed to, the white out snowstorm now impossible to see, though they could all hear the wind's vicious howling. He turned and walked to the living room, moving to the couch and spreading out on it, rubbing his face with one hand.

"I get a bed." Blurted Dean, flopping down on one of the mattresses before anyone could protest about it.

"So do I." said Crowley, looking along a bookshelf for something to read when he got settled.

"No, you get the recliner. Cas and Jade get the rest of the mattress space." Said Dean, setting a pillow to the side of his feet so Cas could lay his head there. Crowley rounded on the man.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because you got a bed all last night and hardly helped get things set up. Therefore, you get the recliner. Deal with it. You can have a bed again tomorrow night." Replied Dean as Cas moved and sat on the bed, reaching for a separate blanket other than Dean's.

"Speaking of that, you, and her if she wants to, can have first watch, Crowley. You were the last to sleep, your turn to watch, now." Said Sam, pulling a blanket over himself and rolling to lay on his side, the old couch groaning in protest. Crowley scowled and picked a Charles Dickens book off the shelf, one he was surprised was even there, assuming it belonged to their father. He walked behind the couch to go to the recliner.

"Don't bust through that or anything, shame if something bad were to happen to you in your sleep, moose…" he taunted as he settled on the recliner, putting his feet up and reclining back.

"Hardy har…" mumbled Sam, eyes closed.

Jade sighed, looking at all the men, then ran a hand through her hair and lay down on the other mattress so her head was closer the fire, same direction as Cas who was right next to her on the other bed.

"This is fairly awkward." Muttered Cas, laying on his back and watching the fire's shadows on the ceiling.

"_You_ think it's awkward?...I'm the one stuck in a sausage fest…" whispered Jade, turning her head to look at the angel, neglecting to mention that she didn't mind looking at all the eye candy in this cabin. From Sam's giant puppy image, to Cas' adorable innocent image, to Dean's ornery _I'm still 17 on the inside_ persona, then to her favorite, Crowley's _you know damn well I'm no good but I know you can't resist_ persona. Cas turned his head and gave her a confused look, bringing her out of these thoughts.

"Sausage fest?...We don't have any sausage, I looked." He replied quietly in a disappointed tone, Jade snorted a brief laugh and had to look away for a moment before answering. _There's that innocent adorableness, _she thought.

"It's…the phrase doesn't literally mean sausage. It means being stuck with a bunch of men." She tried to explain, fighting the urge to laugh loudly, not wanting to disturb the Winchesters or make Cas feel stupid.

"How would it mean that?" he asked, blinking at her. She pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment then pointed at his crotch.

"Get it?..." she asked, quickly stopping pointing, finding this to be the most awkward experience she'd had in a long time but also one of the funniest. It took all her strength to not burst into laughter as comprehension dawned on his face.

"Oh… Oh, I see. That's funny." He replied, then softly chuckled and looked back up at the ceiling, chuckling again after a few silent moments.

Crowley glanced down at the two of them, having listened to the exchange and chuckled quietly himself.

"Cas learned a new phrase. So proud of you, cutie pie." He muttered, then turned his attention back to the book.

"Holy crap, shut up…" groaned Dean, rolling over.

"Get some earplugs, prat." Retorted Crowley, turning the page, settled down a bit, truly enjoying reading by firelight. Dean sighed and held a pillow on one side of his head, annoyed more by Sam's snoring than by everybody else talking softly.

Several quiet minutes passed, Dean's hold on the pillow slipped as he finally passed out and it dropped onto the floor. The sound of the crackling fire, the howling wind, and even Sam's snoring all tuned together to be a truly cozy soundtrack, even when Dean's snoring joined the noises. Jade sighed, wide awake, she glanced over at her slumber party buddy only to find that Cas was asleep himself.

Turning her head to the other side, she looked at Crowley, who had his legs crossed at the ankle and a content look on his face as he read. Despite having been angry at him earlier, she wished they were in private again so she could join him or have him join her. She'd never felt so comfortable and snuggly as she had when she slept with him, he really was a living heater and the man equivalent of a giant teddy bear, in private, anyway. Complete with a scruffy beard and hairy chest to pet. Then he'd open his mouth with some smart ass remark and ruin the teddy bear image, which was only to be expected, he really wouldn't be him if he didn't always have some infuriating, witty retort. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she realized he was staring back at her and no longer reading.

He'd felt her eyes on him for several minutes and waited til he reached the end of the chapter he was on before looking over at her, amused when she simply stared back, seeming to have zoned out.

"Yes?..." he asked quietly, raising brows at her, a hint of that perfectly frustrating smirk on his lips.

"Nothing, ass. Quiet, people are sleeping." She retorted in a whisper, making sure her tone was snappy. She gave him a slight glare when he chuckled.

"You can't resist pretending to hate me, can you?" he whispered back, marking his page and closing the book, having a new source of entertainment now. She went to answer then stayed quiet for a moment as Cas rolled onto his side, now facing Dean's feet, which she was sure he'd regret as soon as he woke up.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She retorted, rolling her eyes at Crowley, whose smirk never faded for a second.

"Feeling lonely down there? Is that the problem, lover?" he taunted quietly.

"Obviously not, I'm not the only person down here."

"I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about the pleasure box between your legs." He retorted, smirk widening a tiny bit, eager to get a rise out of her again. She blinked, a little shocked at the audacity of his words, then realized he really didn't have any shame so she shouldn't be so shocked.

"You're a pervert." She whispered at him, unaware that Cas's eyes had opened next to her and that he was laying there listening to all of this now, a confused expression on his face.

"You seemed to like that about me when you shoved my hand between your legs while I talked dirty in your ear in the shower last night…" he replied, voice lowered to that purr that made the area of her body he was mentioning heat up.

"I really, really wanna hit you in the face right now…" she replied, her tone sounding more like she really, really wanted to hop onto his lap instead.

"I dare you to come do it." He retorted, uncrossing his legs to be more comfortable, eyes never leaving her.

"Don't tempt me." She replied softly, again sounding less and less threatening.

"Darling, my specialty is tempting you…" he purred in response, still smirking at her, knowing exactly what he was doing.

Unable to help herself at this point, she sighed and slowly got up, picking up her blanket and carrying it over to the recliner. He continued to smirk at her as she climbed onto it and him, her back to his chest, and covered them up, sighing with a smile when she felt his arms slip around her waist.

"You're no good, do you know that?" she whispered, turning head to look at him.

"I'm a rebel and I'll never, ever be any good?" he replied, hand resting on the front of the waistband of her jeans.

"Pretty much." She whispered back before leaning closer to press her lips to his, both of them unaware that Cas had rolled back over and was watching this with curiosity, not as surprised as Dean had been, though he wasn't sure why. He lay on his back again and averted his gaze, closing his eyes to go back to sleep, planning to ask about it tomorrow and let them have what privacy they could get.

Crowley eagerly returned the kiss, lips moving with Jade's gently as his hand unbuttoned her jeans. She broke the kiss and gave him a wide eyed look.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, his hand didn't stop, now unzipping her jeans.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he whispered back, giving her that damn smirk again.

"Stop it…we're in a room with everybody else." She replied, reaching down under the blanket and grabbing his hand.

"I know, exciting in a naughty way, isn't it?" he purred back, easily pulling his hand from hers and cupping her through her jeans, she gave a soft gasp and narrowed her gaze at him.

"I am dead serious right now…stop doing what you're doing…before you embarrass us…" she grumbled, really wishing they were alone at the moment. She shifted on his lap to curl her legs and be somewhat on her side, head at his shoulder and facing his scruffy jawline. He kept his hand where it was despite her position shift.

"Lapdog." He muttered, nudging his short beard against her forehead. Jade reached down again and successfully pulled his hand away this time.

"Stop trying to get me all frustrated…" she muttered back then pressed a kiss to his jaw.

"It's just very hard to stop once you start, love." He said quietly, resting head and closing his eyes. She kept her eyes on him as he did so, already warmer and more comfortable than she had been on the mattress.

"So I've noticed…" she whispered back before laying her head against part of his chest and shoulder, closing her own eyes, surprised to find she was tired again.

Before too long, she drifted off. He listened to her breathing settle then opened his eyes again, wide awake, watching them all sleep as the night ticked on, the winter storm howling outside.

****(there's yet another chapter finished. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Leave me a review on your way out. )** **


	8. Cabin Fever

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I do not make any monetary profit off of this story.

**Author's Note: sorry I'm slacking on replying to reviews. I hadn't realized chapter 6 had gotten any when I posted seven, so thank you to those of you who reviewed chapter 6, I'll catch you on your next review. **

**Gypsymooneysgirl7733: Jade is actually not a bitch, she just acts that way towards Crowley, they have a lot of friction between them. Crowley's a dick to her for the same reason that Jade is a bitch to him; thorns to protect the soft, fluffy stuff on the inside. And there will not be a Dean/Cas pairing in this story, I've already made that clear. Thank you for your review.**

Twilight Zone

Chapter 8: Cabin Fever

Crowley allowed himself to drift on and off through the night, simply so he would be awake when everyone else woke again. His eyes opened again as light began streaming in the windows, very white, showing that it was still blowing snow. Looking around, he located the source of what had woken him up. The couch had creaked when Sam rolled onto his back and stretched, he now was rubbing his face and yawning before sitting up.

"Morning, moose…" said Crowley quietly, acutely aware that Jade was still curled up on his lap, her forehead resting against his jaw. Sam blinked then looked over, then blinked a few times again.

"Uh…morning….." he replied awkwardly, confused as to why Jade was sleeping on the king of hell. He swung his legs over the side of the couch then stood up, running a hand through his thick hair.

"Fire could use some coaxing…" retorted Crowley, glancing over at the burning embers. Sam saw then realized why he was so cold when he woke up, he could see his breath.

"Crap…" he mumbled, grabbing three logs and positioning them on the embers, blowing at them to get flames licking at the wood again. He turned and stepped away from the fire, narrowly missing stepping on Cas, who started to wake up when he felt the bed sink from Sam's foot. Sam walked around the beds and over towards the recliner where Crowley still lay with Jade curled on him beneath a blanket.

"Yes?..." asked Crowley, brows raised. Sam considered being as nosy and rude as Dean had been the day before then just shook his head.

"Nothing. I hope the coffee maker isn't frozen…" replied Sam, walking away into the kitchen just as Cas sat up, rubbing his eyes like a toddler who'd taken a nap without knowing it.

The angel stood up as well, stretching before walking out of the room towards one of the bathrooms. Stepping on Dean's bed caused the elder Winchester to awaken and roll over with a sigh.

"Jesus, it's cold…" he grumbled, groggily, pulling the blanket tighter around himself and not getting out of bed.

"Hallelujah…" mumbled Sam from the kitchen as the old coffee maker started rumbling to heat water.

Crowley watched all of this curiously then blinked as Jade suddenly shifted, sharply in his lap, her knee unknowingly finding its way to dangerously jab near his crotch.

"Oi!" he exclaimed in shock and a tiny bit of fear. She jumped slightly then sat up, blinking confusedly at him. Sam and Dean turning over to see what happened.

"What? What happened?..." she asked, somewhat half asleep.

"Damn near crushed my bits, woman, watch your knee…" he replied, heaving a sigh of relief. She gave him a slightly guilty look.

"Oh…sorry…." She said before laying her head back against his shoulder and yawning. She didn't really care at this point if the other two had anything to say about this, knowing there were far more important things going on. Dean blinked at them, feeling fairly awkward again, he sighed and got off the bed.

"Couldn't stay awake to keep the fire going, Crowley?" he asked, rubbing his arms to warm up while the flames struggled to heat up the cabin.

"I was a little tied down, Squirrel." Was the reply from Crowley, shifting his hands under the blanket to grab Jade's ass, simply to antagonize her. Eyes widening in response, she yelped in surprise then hid her face against his shoulder when she felt herself blush in embarrassment.

"You are an ass…" she grumbled so only Crowley would hear as he smirked.

"It will _always_ be too early for this…" stated Dean, not needing to think hard to guess on what happened, he shook his head and walked to the kitchen as Cas came out of the bathroom.

"The water in the toilet is frozen." Said Cas, looking as though he had no idea what to do and felt like it was his fault.

"Then everyone needs to hold their urges as much as possible cause we're gonna have to go outside from this point on." Said Sam giving his brother a shrug when he saw the _I'm still uncomfortable_ look on his face.

"Okay." Replied Cas, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around himself for warmth. Jade slid off of Crowley, pulling her blanket around herself as well as she walked into the kitchen to wait for some coffee. Getting out of the recliner, Crowley stood and stretched with a yawn before sighing.

"What now? Musical chairs?" he asked.

"Breakfast, dick." Retorted Dean, looking out the window at the white out.

"Breakfast of dick?...I knew you two had bad taste but….ew." replied Crowley, making a disgusted face at them.

"Why are we going to eat dick? That sounds horrible." Said Cas, causing the king of hell to toss his head back and laugh loudly. Dean just slumped into a chair and put his face in his hands, hearing Jade start laughing as well.

"We're not….Cas, he was joking." Said Sam, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh…that's not a funny joke." Replied Cas, blinking at Crowley who was wiping tears of laughter from his face.

"Yes, yes it is…bloody hell…" was the reply as he moved over to the counter and leaned against it.

"I'm not sure what we're going to do for breakfast, I can't get the fridge or freezer door open." Said Sam, switching topics as he got down coffee cups. Dean sighed, looking up again finally, rubbing the increasing scruff on his face since he hadn't shaved in a few days.

"Awesome…" he retorted sarcastically.

"Well, if the storm settles, you or I could always go hunt for something. Cook it over the fire. That's not so AH! Ow, ow…hot…" exclaimed Sam, cutting off his own sentence as he spilled coffee on his shirt, frantically wiping at it as it burned his cold skin.

"This is why we can't have nice things, Sam." Said Dean, just blinking at his brother. Sam just sighed and set the coffee pot down, walking back to the living room and pulling his shirt off to put a dry one on.

Without entirely realizing it, being tired, Jade had directed her gaze right at Sam. At first it was just borderline zoning out then her eyes widened a tiny bit at the toned muscles and she found she couldn't stop staring for a few moments. What she didn't notice, was that Dean and Crowley saw her do this, the latter of the two men narrowing his gaze, not at all pleased by this. Dean saw that, too but said nothing, only poured himself some coffee. Jade blinked and turned back, blushing in embarrassment when she realized that she'd just eyed him like he was a piece of meat, walking to Dean and filling her own coffee mug, not realizing Crowley was still giving her a possessive glare.

"This storm doesn't lift soon and we're all gonna have cabin fever." She sighed, starting to worry about herself, filling a mug for Cas after filling her own.

"Some of us might have it already." Retorted Dean, quirking a brow at her and taking a drink of the hot coffee. Jade looked confused then her eyes widened slightly, figuring out that he'd seen what she was doing a moment ago. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Sam as he walked back over, a sweatshirt on, now.

"We should probably get all the clothes that we'll use out of the bedrooms so that they're not freezing cold when and if any of us change." Said Sam, picking up his half full mug, the spilled coffee already frozen on the floor.

"I can…go get stuff out of the room I was in." said Jade, feeling uncomfortable under Dean's questioning gaze. She walked past them all and to that room, tossing the blanket and braving the cold so she could carry more stuff out at once, stopping to take a quiet moment for herself once she was in there. Wondering what she was doing and if the current, dangerous situation she found herself in was making her hormones wacky. Then she realized that she wasn't at all used to being around more than one man at a time, let alone four attractive men at once. She ran a hand down her face and sighed, willing her suddenly teenage style hormones to chill the fuck out so the cabin stay didn't get more awkward than it already was. She was now worried her overactive, inappropriate imagination would get the best of her since it seemed to be working overtime while they were all trapped here with no form of entertainment but each other.

Crowley watched her walk out of the room, staring after her a moment then relaxing his expression, looking over to find Dean's gaze on him now. He picked up his coffee and took a drink then set it back down, looking back at Dean still.

"What? Want a kiss?" asked Crowley, brows raised, sounding more peeved than taunting.

"The hell are you guys eyeing each other over now?" asked Sam, giving them both confused looks, starting to not be able to understand his brother anymore. He knew damn well that deep down, Dean now considered Crowley a friend, but had trouble following the childish love/hate thing they seemed to have going. He distantly wondered if Crowley and Dean would have a fist fight or two before this being snowed in thing was done with.

"Now? When did we stop eyefucking each other?" asked Crowley, walking past them all towards the room Jade had gone to.

"Where are you going?" asked Cas, internally mulling over what the term 'eyefucking' might mean, assuming it wasn't a literal thing.

"To help. So none of you prats can nag at me about not pulling my own weight round here." Was his reply as he disappeared into that room, seeing his breath immediately when he walked in.

He nudged the door shut with his foot and walked over to Jade, who was currently shoving clothes in a bag to carry them out, and knocked the bag out of her hands, grabbing her and pinning her against the wall behind her. Hand resting partially at her jaw, partially at her neck, he watched her shock turn to anger.

"The hell are you doing?!" she exclaimed, moving one hand to slap him. Glaring when he grabbed her wrist and pinned that against the wall, too.

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing, darling…" he purred in reply, stepping closer so they were mere inches apart.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who do you think you're dealing with, lover?..." he asked through grit teeth, a voice of reason in the back of his head trying to tell him that being enclosed in the cabin like this was already starting to get the best of him.

"An asshole, clearly." She spat back, eyes widening when his grip on her jaw tightened, a silent warning to her that his temper was being dangerously pushed.

"You. Are. _Mine._" He growled at her possessively, making her eyes widen again but this time from the chills he gave her rather than shock, her anger settling briefly.

"I thought you didn't know if you were using me or not." She retorted, putting bite back into her tone to appear as though she wasn't going to put up with his shit.

"Whether I am or not, still stands that I own your little ass. No matter how much you eye those others out there, at the end of the day, _I, and only I, _will be the one between your legs, not them." He retorted, tone still angry but grip loosened a bit.

"You know, jealousy is an unattractive trait, babe." She lied, not admitting to him that she was starting to get extremely turned on by that possessiveness of his.

"You, bitch, make me wonder if you're a human or a demon, you know that?" he replied in a softer, curious tone, not entirely liking the attachment he was starting to feel towards her. He supposed they just clicked like that. After all, a particular kind of bastard such as himself couldn't really get attached to a woman who wasn't at least a tiny bit of a bitch, at least on the outside.

"Cute. Now, let go." She spat back, narrowing her gaze at him.

"After we come to an agreement, I'll be more than happy to let you get back to gathering clothes."

"Okay. You want an agreement? Here's an agreement: since you can't decide if you're using me or not, I'm gonna openly, more than happily, flirt with all three of them out there. Right in front of you and smile as you get angrier and angrier. Maybe that'll help you make up your mind, dick." She retorted, legitimate, deep-seeded frustration with him coming out through her tone. Almost not believing that those words just left her mouth after she said them.

"You're digging yourself a grave, pet." He said lowly, giving her a slightly amused expression. Pissed off at this plan of hers but, on the other hand, finding that it would be entertaining. Not realizing that it's almost exactly what he would do in her position, something that he had done before, just to be spiteful and get a rise out of a lover.

"I think you're underestimating just how much I'm gonna enjoy flirting with them instead of you." She lied, selling it well enough for him to give her a dirty look.

"I think you're just trying to get daddy to spank you…" he purred back, letting go of her, licking his lips once and raising brows.

"Are you done?" she asked, glad she was getting better at hiding her internal responses when he made comments like that.

"For now. Have fun. I'll be watching, judging, critiquing." He retorted, walking away from her and out of the room without helping gather clothing. He ignored the curious glances from the other three men and picked up the Charles Dickens book again, taking a seat and returning to reading.

"Jackass…" grumbled Jade, stuffing clothes in a bag again then walking out herself, setting the bag by one of the mattresses before completely ignoring Crowley's existence and walking back to the kitchen, sighing before sitting down next to Dean.

"All set?" he asked, raising a brow at her, wondering what was going on between her and Crowley now.

"Yep. Got all I need for a few more days of a storm." She replied, smiling at him then taking a drink of her coffee, deciding that out of these three other guys, she liked Dean most.

"Good. I think we should all come up with a plan of some sort. Maybe multiple plans, depending on theories." Said Dean, looking now at his brother and Cas, glancing at Crowley.

"My theory is correct. However, we don't know what angels are helping him." Said the king of hell, looking over from his book.

"How do you know for sure that that's what's going on?" asked Sam, turning to look at him now.

"Because I was hunting him, Moose. I have a vague idea of what his endgame plan is. He has a distinct hate for angels and demons. He wanted to find a way to hunt us down like rodents. Hence, the power outage of all on earth at once. That's a lot of both sides. All he'd have had to do was find a dumb group of angels or a very dumb archangel to make it happen then start smiting." Explained Crowley, watching them all, narrowing gaze ever so slightly when he saw Jade look right at him as she discretely scooted closer to Dean.

"You couldn't have told us that earlier?" asked the elder Winchester, blinking.

"There was nothing that could've been done about it earlier. Now that we're all level headed and have time to plot, now is a good time to tell."

"How do we kill him?" asked Cas, the soldier look on his face rather than the naïve, innocent one.

"Oh, I don't want to kill him." Answered Crowley, getting up and setting the book down as he walked over.

"The hell do you mean you don't want to kill him?" asked Sam, annoyed, his brother's expression mirroring his own.

"Because I want to imprison him in Hell, near Lucifer's cage, actually. He's made his way to the very top of my shitlist, boys, I don't intend to let him off easy." Was the reply, making everyone at the table stare at him for a moment, particularly Jade. The guys had seen Crowley's nasty side before but she hadn't yet.

"We'll see. If it comes down to let him get away or kill him, I'm killin him." Said Dean, taking another drink of coffee.

"Where do we start? Phonelines are surely down, I doubt any other hunters would have information, and it's far too dangerous to call to Heaven for support." Said Cas, brows furrowed, everyone looking confused when Crowley grinned.

"Got supplies for a summoning, boys?..." he asked. Dean and Sam glanced at each other.

"In the trunk of the car. Why?" asked Sam.

"Because we're goin to my team for backup. One of you two athletic men go get it, would you?" he replied, looking at Sam and Dean. The Winchesters looked at each other for a few moments, conveying a conversation in silence, Sam giving his brother a look that said _absolutely not_ while Dean sighed then shrugged before standing up and grabbing his keys.

"I'll go get it. Someone draw a devil's trap on the floor, I don't want whoever he calls to pull any crap." Said Dean, pulling on a heavy coat then unlocking the door before venturing out into the howling wind and white out.

"Do not screw us over, Crowley. I'm serious." Threatened Sam, standing up and grabbing the demon blade just in case.

"I'm summoning the one demon in Hell that I can trust. My personal assistant. Someone who has been my assistant since I was just the king of the crossroads. Relax, Moose, it'll be okay, I promise."

"I stand by what I said. He pulls anything and you get tied back down and he gets his throat slit."

"_She_, Moose, she. And she won't. She'll do as I say, as always." Replied Crowley. Cas opened his mouth to speak then they all looked over as Dean pushed back into the cabin, some snow flying with him, shivering and his eyebrows frosted.

"Jesus Christ, it's the ice age out there…" he blurted, taking a few deep breaths before pulling the coat off and moving over by the fire, bag in hand.

"Got everything?" asked Crowley, walking over as well.

"Yeah. Here, Sammy." Replied Dean, tossing a can of spray paint at his brother who caught it then began drawing a devil's trap on the floor. Jade got up and walked over, her own scheme forgotten as interest kicked in. She'd learned about this kinda stuff from Bobby but never seen any of it firsthand.

Crowley took the bag from dean and pulled a table over, setting everything out and preparing for the spell. Working just as fast as the boys had gotten at this. When it was all set up he looked at Sam.

"Get out of the trap, would you?" he asked, Sam gave him a look and stepped out of it.

"Lending you a lot of trust right now, Crowley, don't make me regret it." Said Dean, standing two steps away from him. Crowley turned and flashed the elder Winchester an annoying, flirty grin.

"Wouldn't dream of it, darling."

****( I realize that was a tiny bit shorter than the last few but I wanted to leave at that somewhat of a cliffhanger. Thanks for reading, please leave me a review on your way out. )** **


	9. 9 Crimes

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Mariana Su: so glad you like this story. Who wouldn't be hot for the King of Hell? I mean, come on...he's perfect. Trying to be quick with updates, life does tend to get in the way, though. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next. **

**AtomicRevolver: I'm astounded you liked this this much to get through it in just a few hours. So glad to have another reader who's enjoying it. Thank you very much for your review, I look forward to your next. **

Twilight Zone

Chapter 9: 9 Crimes

Spell done, smoke flashed and everyone but Crowley stared at the female demon who appeared in the devil's trap, her vessel Dean's idea of a playboy model dressed as a naughty secretary. The demon looked at everyone in confusion for a brief moment before she noticed Crowley.

"Sire…" she greeted with a somewhat suggestive tone, a smile splitting her features. Jade scowled without realizing it and Crowley noticed, grinning himself now.

"Elise. Darling, how are things?..." he replied, brows raised slightly. Knowing exactly what Crowley was doing, Jade took a step closer to Dean.

"Back home? A tiny bit chaotic currently. Many of us were up here when that odd surge happened. They're all unsure of what to do, waiting for you to show and give orders. Some Lucifer loyalists are starting to plot ways to release him, they believe you were hit with this too and can't stop them. I've sent hounds after all the ones I know of. They fled Hell, probably hiding up here, now." She explained then looked down at the devil's trap she was caught in, giving her king a questioning look.

"Hm…Well, you can take back my orders when we're done here. Do not let it be known to anyone where I am or any real details of what has happened. All they need to know is that I'm dealing with it and they shall continue their jobs as usual. Tormenting, keeping things in order, all that good stuff." He replied, feeling everyone watching them.

"Yes, Sire. Wow….Sam and Dean Winchester…legends in the flesh." She said, eyes traveling back to those two, looking Dean up and down appreciatively.

"Legends?" asked Sam, brows furrowed.

"Oh, yes. Those in Hell that aren't allowed to leave actually believe you two don't even exist, that you're just scary stories to tell in the dark. Earth's mightiest heroes, Hell's biggest pain in the ass, and Heaven's rebels…" she stated, almost in awe of them, rarely ever getting to leave Hell herself due to taking care of things for Crowley when he was busy.

"Well, always nice to sound like superheroes." Retorted Dean, partly in sarcasm. She moved her gaze right past Jade, as though she wasn't there, and to Cas. Only interested in those she'd heard stories about.

"And you are Castiel. The rebellious angel. Even played God once…that time that you betrayed my king." She added, almost threateningly.

"Now, now, play nice, darling, or they won't let me release you from that trap." Said Crowley, smiling at her.

"What else do you need me to do for you, Sire?" she asked, giving him her entire attention again, as though no one else was there.

"Firstly, I want my dog. I'd feel a lot better plotting right now with Growley shadowing outside, guarding." He stated, earning himself a sigh from Dean and Sam, who absolutely did not want a Hellhound outside or even within the same damn state as them.

"Of course. I'll bring him." She replied.

"Secondly…I want you to speak to informants upstairs, find out what's going on, who's fighting who, and, if possible, find out who's working with that damn warlock. Update me, often. Twice a day at least. As soon as you know anything, anything at all, no matter how trivial it seems, you come here and you tell me. Secretly. Be sure no one is tracking or following you here. Anyone upstairs asks, you say you're answering to someone else in Hell, that someone else has taken charge and I am missing. Again." He explained, wheels spinning in his head as he walked over and leaned down with a knife, breaking part of the devil's trap, freeing her from its confines.

"Absolutely." She replied with a nod and a flirtatious smile as he freed her from the trap.

"Thirdly…" he began, stepping close to her and setting a hand on her shoulder to lead her away from everyone else.

"Wow, wow, hey, no secret shit, Crowley!" exclaimed Dean, causing them to turn and look at him.

"You really wanna know about the sexual favors I'm planning?..." he asked the Winchester, earning himself a brief look of disgust from Dean.

"…nevermind. Please go out of earshot…Jesus…" replied Dean, shaking his head and going to see if any beer had thawed as his brother sighed and looked at Cas, Jade glaring momentarily before following Dean.

"What is it?" asked Elise as Crowley led her away from everyone, his hand still on her shoulder.

"Thirdly…find a few winged pricks that owe us favors. I need you to get someone out of Heaven, a soul. He's marked by Hell, me in particular, I made a deal with him once. His body was burned, a hunter's burial, so you'll need to do some real magic to get him down here as himself. Find a way." He explained, giving her a look that said she knew who this was, comprehension dawned on her face.

"Of course. I assume all these things are same level of priority?"

"Yes. I want you to return as soon as you've done any of these things and update me. I'm fighting rather deaf and blind right now." He stated, comfortable with her knowing how vulnerable he was at the moment, knowing it would spur her to action more swiftly and more forcefully than anything else would.

"I will. No worries. I'm good at this." She replied, smirking at him and giving him a wink.

"You're good at lots of things….now, be careful. Can't lose my favorite, naughty demon…." He replied, giving her his own smirk and wink, taking hand off her shoulder to slide a fingertip along her jawline briefly.

"I'll be back soon, Sire. If that…powerless stress is getting to you, I'm sure I can assist at some point." She added.

"We shall see. Now go get my puppy and pass on my orders, darling." He demanded, she gave a final nod and disappeared. Stuffing hands in his pockets, wishing they were trousers instead of jeans, he walked back over to the kitchen area.

"Dumb…" grumbled Dean, staring longingly at the frozen bottle of beer. Jade gave him a sympathetic smile, thinking something else going on was very dumb as well as she sat down next to him again and set a hand on his forearm.

"Deep breaths. Keep it by the fire and it'll thaw soon." She said, giving his hand a pat. His brows furrowed and he turned his head to look at her, giving a questioning look of _what exactly are you doing?_

"So, that's it? You're just gonna trust that she will bring back all those answers and not get caught or get us caught at the same time?" asked Sam, arms folded as he eyed Crowley with a suspicious gaze.

"She's very reliable, very good at what she does, and very loyal to me. So, yes, Moose, I trust all of that. Do you have a better source? If so, do tell…." Retorted Crowley, a bit snappily. Sam sighed, giving him a dirty look but going quiet.

"You have informants in Heaven…" stated Cas, tone rather disappointed.

"Yes, I do. Don't worry, it's not by their own choice, they hate me and are in my debt." Answered Crowley, who then smiled as they all heard a distant howl through the wind outside.

"Great, the mutt is here." Grumbled Dean, really not fond of having a hellhound outside.

"Oi, Growley is _not_ a mutt, he's a very good dog." Retorted Crowley, almost offended.

"To you, maybe. Not to me."

"Excuse me, but I remember sicking him on that hound that was about to make you a chew toy, Squirrel...and now he's here to keep you, me, and the rest of you lot safe from anything that comes lookin for us while we wait for information." Argued Crowley, walking over and resting hands on the back of an empty chair, leaning on it. Dean bit the inside of his cheek for a moment then sighed, realizing that he had a point but not willing to admit it openly.

"For the record, I'm uncomfortable with all of this." Stated Sam.

"Oh, get off your high horse, Moose. You're no better than any of us downstairs. Not only are you still Lucifer's true vessel, but I know of your little shag sessions not so long ago with Ruby…who got you good and addicted to blood. Demon blood." Retorted Crowley, giving him a dirty look.

"And didn't you just join the club, Mr. Addicted To Human Blood Like A Heroin Addict?" snapped Sam back at him, earning himself a fairly frightening glare.

"Your fault, isn't it, prat?" growled Crowley, having not had any human blood in a while now but still craving it more than he'd like to admit.

"I didn't make you addicted to blood, jackass."

"No, but I didn't fucking ask for you to try and use me as the third trial, you arrogant little thug. You think I wanted that? Really? Did you ever stop to consider what the consequences would be had you not finished the job? No, of course you didn't. But who gives a fuck about Crowley, right? He's an enemy this week and an ally last week, he's disposable. Let's ignore how he's helped…" ranted Crowley, tone clearly angry, furious brownish-greenish eyes on Sam as he snapped. Sam went to reply then was cut off.

"Enough. Everyone. This is ridiculous. Both of you sit down. It's clearly time we all talked and came to an understanding." Said Cas, voice oddly commanding, causing Sam and Crowley to blink at him before both hesitantly took a seat at the table. Of course, Crowley refused to sit first and had a short stare-down against Sam until the Winchester sat first.

"What is this, then? Group therapy session?" asked Crowley.

"Everyone say all they need to say about each other. We cannot survive in this cabin so long while all being at each other's throats. I read that it is therapeutic to let it all out to whoever you have a problem with." Explained Cas, looking at everyone.

"Like…we do this for everyone here? All of us?" asked Dean, not entirely liking this idea.

"Yes. We all go around, say whatever bad things about a person is on our mind then end with a good thing." Nodded Cas, earning himself a _this is dumb_ look from Dean.

"Okay, then you start, Dr. Phil." Said Crowley, raising brows at the angel.

"Okay. Sam. I find you extremely difficult to deal with oftentimes because you hold grudges and let things fester inside until you lash out. However, I find you a very good friend regardless." Said Cas, looking at the younger Winchester and smiling.

"Um…thanks." Blinked Sam.

"Jade. I don't know you very well but I find the tension between you and Crowley extremely uncomfortable and I don't like it. On the other hand, you're very nice to me and I like that." Said Cas.

"….Okay." replied Jade, blinking at Cas, not entirely sure how to respond to that.

"Crowley. I actually somewhat hate you on a particular level because I find you manipulative, selfish, rude, arrogant, and fairly annoying. However, you can be helpful and I sincerely believe that you have reached a point where you will no longer screw us over." Was Cas's next comments.

"Thanks for that. Really. I'm enlightened, a heavy weight has been lifted off my blackened heart." Was the snarky reply from the King. Cas ignored him and turned to Dean.

"Dean. You tend to be very risky, unreasonable at times, frustratingly stubborn, and resort to violence as a way to solve problems far too much. However, you are the dearest friend I have ever had and you have put up with more of my mistakes than anyone else ever would. Your friendship may be the most important thing to me in my whole existence because it's all I can count on." Explained Cas, looking right at Dean who stared at him for a few moments.

"Thank you, Cas…" he said quietly, unable to hide how moved he was by that, struck with an urge to pull the angel into a hug but resisting it.

"Your turn, Sam." Said Cas, looking at the younger Winchester. Sam heaved a sigh and decided looked at the angel.

"Okay. Cas…you've done a lot of things in the past that I have trouble letting go of, trouble forgiving. Things that have made it hard to trust you many times. But…in the end, you've always come through for us, for Dean, and I'm grateful for that and consider you a friend." He explained.

"I appreciate that, Sam." Replied Cas, smiling at him.

"Jade, same with Cas, I guess, I don't know you all that well. Only downside I see of you is that I don't know how well I can trust you. Other than that, you're alright." Said Sam, looking at the woman.

"Oh..okay." she replied.

"Crowley. You've screwed us over more times than I can count, tried to kill us, trapped Bobby into selling you his soul and trapped him in Hell, you're a liar, a schemer, and a jackass. But…now that I'm forced to think about it…I remember watching you break down in that church, I'll never forget it. And you have been helpful lately, you do seem to legitimately consider us allies. So…I guess that's an upside." Said Sam, angry at first with his speech then calming down as he went into the good parts.

"Thanks, Moose, I'm so deeply touched that I'm almost turned on." Retorted Crowley, not liking this little therapy game Cas had started. Sam ignored him and turned to his brother.

"Dean…I..I still feel like all I do is let you down. Like you can't trust me. I also still think you're selfish, that you make too many of the same dumb mistakes Dad made, and maybe that you're little bit too bossy. But, at the end of the day, you're still my brother, and that's all that really matters." Explained Sam, conveying even more than his words through the look he was giving Dean.

"I know, Sammy…I know." Replied Dean. They all looked around the table for who'd go next when Jade cleared her throat.

"Sam. I don't know you all that well but I think you might get a little too wound up sometimes. Really, you're a great person. And you've got pretty great hair." She said, laughing with her last comment. Earning herself a few chuckles from the brothers.

"Thanks. It's almost effortless." Replied Sam, actually smiling.

"Cas, I don't have any bad words for you. I've never met an angel before but if they're all like you, then I'd imagine Heaven is doing pretty well. You're kind, funny even though you don't mean to be, and very caring." She said, looking at the angel, now.

"Thank you, Jade." He replied, smiling, glad to see his therapy idea was doing well as the mood around the table had already improved.

"Dean. You kinda freaked me out when we first got here, and you do have a temper and tendency to lean towards violence but I still don't see those things as entirely bad. I think you're handsome and your heart's in the right place." Said Jade, looking at him, feeling everyone else's eyes on her.

"Well..I…thank you." Stammered Dean, a bit caught off guard. Jade sighed and turned her gaze to the other one at the table, not having been looking forward to this, hence why she waited on him til last.

"Crowley. You kidnapped me, insulted me, threatened me, made dirty jokes the all the while, pretend like you own me, and don't know when to shut up or how to keep your hands to yourself. I think a large part of me legitimately hates you or at least would like the chance to beat the shit out of you…." She rambled off, giving him a partial glare, not focusing on any positive points.

"Jade…the point of this is to do both sides. Good and bad…" said Cas, quietly.

"If we could do it, trust me, you can, too." Said Sam, kinda wanting her to continue on the tirade of _why you piss me off_ comments. Crowley said nothing, only rested his face on his hand and gave her an amused look. Jade heaved a sigh, hesitating before continuing.

"Fine. However…I guess this is the most exciting thing to ever happen in my life and it wouldn't be happening had you not barged into my house. You could've seriously harmed me and you didn't, so I'm thankful for that. It's…marginally entertaining to argue with you. You can be funny, I suppose….and you might…kinda…maybe be good in bed." She grumbled the last part, making a soured, annoyed face as she downplayed what she really thought. Dean awkwardly cleared his throat and Sam blinked then looked away from the table for a moment, Cas wasn't phased at all, and Crowley merely smirked at her. Knowing how much of a bad taste it put in her mouth to have to admit these things.

"Would you mind putting that on a card for me to frame in my office, darling?" he asked, smirking at her still, mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Eat shit." She snapped back, making Dean actually laugh.

"Your turn, Crowley." Said Sam, looking at him, hardly able to wait to watch him have to come up with good things to say about them all. The king gave the younger Winchester a look that clearly said _get bent_, then sighed softly.

"Fine, Samantha, I'll start with you. You're inhumanly sized, makes me think you're compensating for something, I don't like your face, I don't like your voice, you need a haircut, I get sick of your _woe me_ tirades…Oh, and being the smart one out of the two Winchester brothers isn't that much of an impressive feat, you're just the slightly brighter moron. I don't like that you still haven't said sorry about kidnapping and tormenting me and I hope that nearly dying for the trials hurt like a bitch." He rambled off, gaze evenly on Sam, hoping they were all starting to regret agreeing to do this, which they partially were now that they saw Crowley wasn't going to hold back at all. Sam just blinked at him, not having expected Crowley to take any of this that seriously.

"Good parts, too." Said Cas, sure to keep them all reminded about the positive side.

"You make me feel even smarter than I already am, how's that?...You want something honest? Fine. I'll be honest with the positive part. You weren't as ruthless as you could've been in that church. I don't know why but I still appreciate it. You also untied me when I got here, I appreciate that, too. The one thing that still frustrates me about you is that you accept guilt so easily for things that aren't remotely your fault. Kevin was _not_ your fault, so let it go. Every time Dean has died is not your fault. Even when you majorly fuck up, you make up for it by saving the day somehow in the end. I get it, you don't like me, I'm not very fond of you either. But there's my truth." Explained Crowley, leaning back in his chair. Everyone stared at him for a few moments, Sam a little dumbstruck.

"Are you…being serious for once?..." he asked, blinking at him.

"Yes, Moose. And your turn is over so shut your trap." Retorted Crowley, turning to look at Cas, whose eyes widened momentarily.

"Oh…my turn…." He stated quietly, not entirely sure he wanted to hear whatever the first part would be.

"Castiel. You stupid, pain in the arse, high horsed, blind-sided prat. No, I have not forgiven you for fucking me over with the souls, you dink. When you make a deal with someone, particularly the King of Hell, you bloody well keep it! I was more than happy to work business with you, honorably, without pulling any tricks, and you had to screw me over. Then you wonder why demons treat angels the way they do…moron. I don't trust you, I may never trust you again. The only good words I have about you are that you seem to genuinely care about these two morons and want to help. Other than that, if I were to be granted a few weeks with you chained up in my dungeon, I would be a very happy king." Said Crowley, eyeing Cas.

"Well…I wasn't aware you felt so strongly about that." Replied the angel, a little taken aback. Crowley rolled his eyes at the angel then turned to Dean.

"Squirrel…the punching me in the face every chance you get is getting very old. I'm starting to think you hit like a girl. If I were granted this chance to bitch you out a few years ago, I'd have more complaints. Currently, my only main one is that you need to just stop threatening to kill me. You won't do it and it hurts my feelings. On the other hand, enough with the bloody self-loathing. You're not the bad guy, you never were. For the positive side of things…you're the only one at this table that has ever sincerely trusted me. No matter the reason, you've done it. We've even worked together before, and we work well together. I suppose…what I'm trying to say…is that you might be the only real friend I've ever had. In all my years of existence. So…thank you for lending me that luxury, even if it's only temporary." Said Crowley, being entirely sincere the whole way through, voice quieting almost as though he was embarrassed towards the end of his little speech to Dean.

"I…um…alright." Stammered Dean, not having the faintest idea of how to respond to that, shocked and not entirely believing those words just left Crowley's mouth. The look on his face mirrored everyone else's, causing Crowley to sigh before turning his gaze to Jade.

"You…you pain in the ass, mouthy, annoying, stubborn, inhumanly frustrating whore. When the King of Hell kidnaps you, you bloody well do as you're told. What you _don't do_ is try and have a fucking fistfight with him outside a car on the ice or let a hunter tie him up in some run down cabin in the middle of nowhere! What part of this game do you not understand? I am in charge. I say jump, you say how high? And on the topic of owning you, you're damn well right I own you. I've owned you since the second you agreed to get in that car with me. If not then, then I certainly owned you as soon as we started to fuck in the shower that first night here. You can try and deny it all you want but I've been around a very long time. The noises you made were certainly not noises of defiance, they were noises of submission and a tone of _please, daddy, can I have some more? _I –" he began to rant, Sam and Dean's eyes widening more and more with every sentence until Dean stepped in, seeing Jade was about to throw her coffee mug at him, her own expression having gotten angrier and angrier the more Crowley spoke.

"Okay, okay, wow! Easy, man. Way too much information, okay? Take a deep breath and maybe move to the positive parts, alright? Holy shit…" replied Dean in a shocked yet exasperated tone before rubbing his face, annoyed that he now had an extremely uncomfortable image in his head.

"You-" began Jade until Dean clamped his hand over her mouth, earning himself a shocked and angry look.

"No. Everyone gets their turn, let him get to the good parts then you two can go into the next room and argue til kingdom come if that's what you wanna do." Said Dean, feeling like he was babysitting two angry toddlers. Crowley sighed, not wanting to do the next part, feeling like it took the upper hand away from him.

"The positive parts?...I suppose I appreciate someone who won't entirely take my shit. Maybe, just maybe, you're a good fuck. Perhaps, if I'm being delusional to a degree, I enjoy your company. The arguing we do is one way to pass the time, I guess. The way you look-" he began then stopped himself, nearly about to say _the way you look at me._ Thinking of the tenderness she'd shown him when they were alone. However, it was the last thing in the world he'd admit in front of everyone else right now, he already felt vulnerable and knocked off his high horse quite enough, he wasn't about to talk about feelings any longer.

"…what?" she asked, brows furrowed. She wondered if he was doing what she had done, downplaying what he really thought of her, then was confused when he suddenly stopped speaking.

"The way you look naked and wet. Delicious. Can't get it outta my head." He retorted, smirking, officially done with the touchy feely talking, though he was being completely honest with this statement as well. She scowled at him and folded her arms.

"Was that what you were looking for, Cas?" asked Sam with a sigh, not entirely sure if that had been a success or a defeat. Though he was leaning towards success, feeling less animosity towards everyone else, understanding everyone else a little better.

"I believe so, yes. The tone of the room seems quite different now. We all know what's on each other's minds." Replied Cas, smiling soon after speaking, proud of himself.

"Alright, then. I think I'll find a deck of cards, we can play poker. Somethin to pass the time, anyway." Said Dean, getting up and going to his bag to look for the cards. Sam raised his eyebrows but then somewhat shrugged, not against the idea.

"Yeah, you have fun with that." Said Crowley, eyes on Jade for a little longer before he stood up.

"You're too good to play poker with us? Even after that?" asked Sam, calmly this time.

"Obviously. I'll be lounging in that chair, waiting for my assistant to return. Like I said, have fun." He replied, walking away from them all and back to the recliner he'd spent the night in.

****( welp, that chapter went way off into left field compared to what I had originally planned for it. I like it, though. Therapeutic Cas. XD I think it fits him. Hope you guys enjoyed it, now everyone's thoughts have been spilled. For now. Leave me a review on your way out, please. )** **


	10. Piece Of My Heart

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters, I only own Jade. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Author's Note: **if you haven't caught on, the point of these chapters while they're trapped in the cabin during all this is to explore how they'll react to reaching their limits with cabin fever. The mood swings, the mistrust, the animosity. Them at their worsts and bests and oddness in between. Partly for the intent of changing things about them and setting stuff up for when the storm lifts and they go into their normal hunting mode, partly because I'm entertained by toying with them like this and it's what my brain wants to do. I really, really, really love exploring characters and how they act in different situations, more so than any other part of a story, I like to challenge myself with this and make them real to whoever reads, so that when the other stuff comes up (action, sex, etc…) that it's more intense and entertaining to read. Just wanted to give y'all some sort of explanation.

**SilverShadowWolf46: **glad you're liking the story and sticking with it! Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**KatieMarrie: **it was intended to be humorous in a lot of places, glad you laughed. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thedeathberry911: **so glad you love it! And yes, Crowley is the sexiest beast to ever grace television. I'm not sure yet what Jade's gonna be doing, I never know til I write it. And I would love to piss Crowley off if it meant make-up sex. Glad you're sticking with the story. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 10: Piece Of My Heart

After the boys, Cas, and Jade had gotten through their second hand of poker, Crowley's assistant returned and gave the news that she'd passed on his orders to Hell before she vanished again to complete another task. The King of Hell stayed on the other side of the cabin, having long finished that book, a book he'd read a thousand times anyway, he focused his eyes on the fire, feeling an aching to be home, actually missing Hell a little bit. At least his office in Hell, anyway.

He wasn't happy with what he'd done at the table, that he'd actually bowed to Cas's request with the rest of them and opened up like that. He didn't like it one bit. It made him feel alarmingly vulnerable to release that much of what he thought. Crowley was never one for showing you his whole hand, but rather only what he wanted you to believe he had. It was the easiest way to have a trick up your sleeve, to have a few extra plays ready in case things went wrong. In all honesty, it was the only thing that had ensured he'd survived as long as he had, his ability to manipulate and bluff. Especially considering he had a knack for pissing off very powerful beings. The boys knew that list included nearly all of Heaven and Lucifer himself, which was only the tip of the iceberg. He was sure they wouldn't believe him if he tried to name off the rest of the list.

Dwelling on these thoughts, he nearly chuckled as an ironic realization hit him. He liked the Winchesters for several reasons, but now that he thought about himself, he realized what the bottom line, the original reason was. They, at least Dean in certainty, reminded him of "good guy" versions of himself. They consistently pissed off extremely powerful beings, did whatever it took to win a fight, refused to answer to even the highest of archangels, refused to answer to Lucifer, refused the "roles" destiny threw at them during the apocalypse, they played by their own rules and their own rules alone. They were stubborn, defiant, proud (though they didn't see it that way), and never feared their enemy. Of course, they obviously hadn't done even half of the terrible things Crowley had in his lifetime in order to achieve whatever it was he wanted to achieve, but that's why they were the "good guy" versions, wasn't it? They did what was necessary only if it fit their ethics or morals. Crowley didn't have any ethics or morals. Even with the smidgen of humanity he had now, he was still fairly sure that he didn't have any ethics or morals. Those are something learned and instilled through a childhood and lifetime, the sort of thing he obviously hadn't experienced.

Distantly realizing that he was wrapping himself up in his own mind so much that he was getting a headache, he sighed and pulled back out of thought, rubbing his face momentarily then getting out of his chair and walking to a window to look out. He felt a few sets of eyes at the table look at him as he did so but didn't even glance at them. Gaze searching through the snow that was now calmly falling rather than being whipped around by the wind, he blinked in confusion as he saw his hellhound. If he was void of powers currently, he could he see it? Briefly considering turning and mentioning it, or to ask Cas if he could see the hound as well, then decided against it. There was no way he was going to let them all know he could see the hound until he knew what was going on and could make a fully informed decision about it. Giving his beard a brief scratch, he stared out at his loyal dog, wondering what exactly was going on.

He was snapped out of his thoughts yet again as his assistant appeared next to him, causing everyone at the table to look up just as she set a hand urgently on his forearm.

"Sire, I have a lot of sensitive information from Heaven." She said quietly, not intending for anyone else to hear her. He set hand over hers and gave the table a glance to make sure no one was close enough to hear either of them yet.

"They can know. Just not of your next task that we spoke of in private. They cannot know about that until it's been done." He answered quietly.

"Hey! What's going on? She got news?" asked Sam, finding the way they were discussing things by themselves very suspicious, he stood up, intending to walk over if they didn't make their way towards the table. Elise nodded at her King very slightly, a nod that she was sure only he'd notice, which he did before turning to the table.

"Yes, she has news. Relax, Moose." He said, slipping an arm behind her, setting his hand at her low back and leading her to the table. Elise absentmindedly, naturally arched her back with his touch and folded her arms when she reached the table

"Well…what's going? What'd you find out?" asked Dean, laying his hand of cards face down on the table.

"There are battles raging all over Heaven. I was lucky to find a schmuck that was still alive to talk to. Rumor has it that an archangel worked with the warlock Ainfean, then the warlock killed him once the spell was done. No one knows if he cast a spell in Heaven or simply spread lies to pit brothers and sisters against each other but whatever he did, it worked. No one can really remember why they're fighting each other but they continue anyway. He's having them do this because he wants the fighting to spill out of Heaven onto earth. He wants those who survive the fighting to be bitter, violent shells of tainted grace, willing to do his bidding. An angel army under his command." She explained, clear disgust for the warlock on her face.

"They're…slaughtering each other?..." asked Cas, an expression of horror dawning on his innocent features.

"Yes. No civil war, no end game, just bloodlust and blinded rage." She replied with a sigh.

"Why would he want an angel army under his command? Does he want to conquer mankind or…what? What's his reasoning?" asked Sam, wanting to know the motivation.

"No. He doesn't care about mankind." Said Elise.

"Then what? What's he want that kind of a weapon for?" asked Dean.

"To kill my King." She stated, look of disgust and hatred profound on her pretty features before she sighed, glancing at Crowley briefly. All eyebrows went up and all gazes landed on Crowley. Jade found herself gritting her teeth, not cause of Elise this time, but at this information.

"Prick…" Jade muttered, not aware that everyone could hear her, not thinking about it all that much. Crowley heaved a sigh.

"We have…history. He's hated me for a very long time."

"Why? What'd you do?" demanded Sam, not even questioning if Crowley was at fault here, certain of it.

"I technically didn't do anything. He made a deal with me and didn't read the fine print." Retorted Crowley, giving Sam a dirty look. Dean heaved a sigh and rubbed his face.

"So, you screwed him over and now he's flipping everything upside down in revenge?" asked Dean, earning himself an annoyed look from the King.

"No, you dunce, I made a deal with him, a contract was filled out, I gave him the chance to read the fine print, he refused and just signed it. His fault, not mine. I kept my end of the bargain. If anyone did double-crossing, it was him." Argued Crowley, heaving a sigh and calming a bit when Elise set her hand on his arm discretely.

"What was the fine print, then?" demanded Cas, in a much calmer and softer tone than the boys, not wanting the tension to return.

"That if he at any point and time turned the extra powers I granted him against me, for any reason, that I would imprison him. I held up my end, he tried to kill me when he got what he wanted. So, I locked his ass away and buried the key. Obviously, someone let him out." Explained Crowley, raising his eyebrows at everyone.

"Great. So basically there's a psycho, vengeful warlock trying to shatter Heaven so that he can have an angel army hunt you which will basically start a war between Heaven and Hell on earth, with all of humanity in the way as collateral damage. And it's _your_ fault." Said Sam, his tone bitterly sarcastic and angry. Not noticing the dangerous glare that Elise was giving him, being fiercely protective of her king.

"I keep expecting you to get smarter than you are but I forget that Moose don't develop all that well." Retorted Crowley in an exasperated tone, tired of arguing with Sam.

"Who gives a shit about the blame? We need a plan, now we know what he wants and how he's gonna do it. I'd say that's plenty to start planning." Said Dean, waving his hand to stop the both of them from bickering, not agreeing with his brother placing blame on Crowley but not going to say so out loud.

"Dean, if we are to mount an attack against him, I need my powers, my grace. Crowley will also need his powers back or we will pose no chance." Said Cas, looking at his friend. Crowley ignored the two of them and turned to Elise, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Go and get him now, take your time, do it right, bring him here when it's finished." He muttered for only her to hear, she nodded and disappeared, causing everyone to look up and stare at Crowley. Jade butted in, preventing another argument about secrets.

"Are you guys completely void of everything? I mean…are you both entirely human?" she asked, partly extremely curious, never having believed such a thing was possible for angels and demons.

"I believe so." Replied Cas, she then turned to Crowley.

"And you?" she asked.

"Ditto." Was all he retorted, earning himself a suspicious gaze from Dean, who clearly noticed Crowley was hiding something. The King waited for the elder Winchester to confront him in front of everyone about it but he didn't, Dean wanting to wait until he could ask him privately.

"We've stopped stuff without your guys' help before, we can do it again." Said Sam, leaning back in his chair.

"Oh, bollocks…not the big stuff, Samantha. Lucifer, leviathan, all the big stuff you had my and/or Castiel's help and you damn well know it. Maybe not in that end fight but you certainly had it to get to that end fight. In fact, if I recall correctly, you and Deano would both be suffering eternity in Hell, dead a long time ago, stayed dead, if not for myself and Cas. Don't be such an arrogant prat." ranted Crowley, clearly offended and annoyed by Sam's statement. Cas quickly jumped in, wanting things to not get hostile again.

"We do not underestimate either of you. We just….I just would feel much better if I was at power and could be your back-up, protect you both, the way I am supposed to." Said Cas, causing both brothers to blink at him. They knew he somewhat considered himself their unofficial guardian angel but he'd never addressed it so openly like that.

"Then we need to start lookin. Old spells, ancient spells, find out what he used and how we can undo it or at least get you two back to full power. I agree, things will be a lot easier with you two as our big guns. Crowley, when your assistant checks in again, have her bring stuff from Hell about ancient spells and whatnot. I'm assuming you have records." Said Dean, looking at him. Crowley blinked at him.

"Yes, we do, altogether they're roughly big enough to fit in all three pyramids of Giza. I don't think that's quite practical, Dean." Replied Crowley.

"Guess not…shit." Sighed Dean, standing from the table and wandering over towards a window, running a hand through his short hair.

"That does not mean we can't still look for things." Said Cas, not liking seeing his friend so stressed, though that seemed to be the common theme these days. Dean opened his mouth to reply then shut it, staring out the window.

"Guys…the snow stopped." He blurted, wondering how long ago it had stopped snowing, staring at the dark, snow covered yard.

"What?" asked Sam, blinking as he walked over to look for himself. Dean left the window and walked to the coat rack, grabbing his coat.

"I'm gonna shovel a path to the Impala." Stated the elder Winchester, eager to do something away from everyone, something that would require exercise. He grabbed the shovel from the closet.

"I can help." Said Sam, looking for the other shovel.

"Don't. I got it. Conspire with these guys." Said Dean, giving Sam a look, the younger brother understanding that Dean wanted time to be alone as he nodded.

"Alright. Have fun." Replied Sam, walking back over to the table as Dean opened the door.

"Oh, your mutt comes at me and I'm hittin it with the shovel, Crowley." Stated Dean, having turned back, looking at him.

"He'll leave you alone, don't get your panties in a bunch." Replied Crowley with a roll of his eyes. Dean walked out, shutting the door behind him and immediately busied himself with the snow on the porch, glad to be able to do this and have time to think in silence.

"I haven't the slightest clue how we are going to accomplish this." Stated Cas, running a hand down his face, feeling the scruff that was beginning to thicken and darken like it had while he was in Purgatory.

"I want a gun." Blurted Jade, looking at Sam.

"What? No. No way. You are staying out of the violence at all costs." Retorted Sam, shaking his head once.

"I can shoot, Sam, Bobby taught me how. I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines while you guys risk your lives. Let me help." She argued.

"No." blurted Crowley in a firm tone, staring at her, not looking at Sam when the Winchester gave him a surprised look. Jade rounded on him.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Because Moose is right, that's not where you belong. This isn't some paintball or laser tag match or a hunting competition. You will sit on the sidelines, out of harm's way." Retorted Crowley, eyes still on hers, his way of showing he was in charge, something he does to everyone he talks to.

"Like. Hell." She snapped back angrily.

"Enough, please, no more arguing. We can make this decision when it comes to the point where it's time to fight. Until then, I think it would be beneficial for her to have a weapon, for her own safety, should anything go wrong." Said Cas, looking at the two men before him until Sam finally nodded.

"Alright, fair point." He said, pulling a pistol from his coat on the coat rack and bringing it over, setting it in front of her.

"Thank you…." She replied, taking it, swiftly checking if it was loaded and that the safety was on. Sam raised his eyebrows, seeing she wasn't lying, Bobby had taught her.

"Sure. Just don't pull it out unless you absolutely have to." Said Sam, who left the table and opened a cupboard, looking for something to eat.

Crowley opened his mouth to speak then heard something, a howl, but it wasn't the howl of his hound. He looked around for recognition of anyone else noticing it but no one seemed to. Internally debating for a moment, he grabbed his coat and pulled it on.

"Dean doesn't want company." Said Sam, looking at him.

"Too bad. Lover boy and I need to have a chat. He truly wants me back inside and you know he'll make that happen." Retorted Crowley, buttoning his coat then opening the door and stepping out before anyone could object again.

His boots crunched on the thin ice and snow left on the porch, seeing Dean had gotten a surprising amount done already, several feet from the porch. Dean was moving slowly now, had probably gotten too into it to start and now needed to tone it down. Looking around, the King didn't see Growley, which worried him. Crowley went down the porch steps to the walk that Dean was uncovering.

"Releasing all that pesky stress?" asked Crowley, still wary and keeping an open ear. Dean visibly tensed then sighed and stood up fully.

"Til you came out to add to it." He said, turning to look at Crowley.

"Shame, really, that you continue to pretend you hate me." Retorted the King. Dean eyed him for a few moments.

"What says I don't?"

"You haven't killed me. You've had many chances, great chances, chances my enemies would die for. Yet here I stand. Alive and well."

"Maybe you're still useful."

"Maybe I'm one of your very few, still living friends and you just can't bring yourself to admit it because of who I am." Said Crowley, brows raised at Dean, who stared at him for a few moments. He opened his mouth to say something sincere, a partial agreement, then was cut off as they both heard a howl.

"Dammit, man, what's your hellhound's malfunction? Ever since I came out here, he won't shut up." Snapped Dean, a vulnerable part of himself grateful for the interruption. Crowley's brows furrowed then he glanced around warily.

"That's not my hound." He stated simply, causing Dean to blink at him.

"The fuck you mean that's not your hound?"

"I mean, I know my hound's howl, I raised it from a puppy, that was not his howl."

"And let me guess….we're way past go…" said Dean as he gripped the shovel tighter, rehashing something Crowley had said to him long ago, the last time they faced a hellhound together. Crowley started looking around warily, unsure if the hounds would charge him if they sensed his powers were lacking right now. As Crowley turned to the right, Dean stepped out into the deep snow, looking for pawprints in it, ears tuned to listen for it. Dean only got a few steps farther before he felt hot air huffed at him then a growl, right next to him, he froze, knowing a sudden move would make it attack. Crowley heard the growl and turned, seeing the hound in a breath's distance of Dean. He slowly made his way towards it.

"Oi!..." he half shouted to get its attention, causing Dean to look over as well, though both men soon glanced to the other side of Dean where another hound was closing in. Crowley noticed how the first hound snapped its head to the side to look at him and appeared to lower its head slightly in submission, so he took a chance and continued walking towards Dean, eyeing both the hounds as he did so.

"Dean, don't move." He said, still eyeing the hounds, earning himself a confused look from Dean.

"You can see them still?" asked the Winchester, not moving.

"Yes."

"How many are there?"

"Two right here eyeing you like dog treats. Five others keeping their distance for now…" replied Crowley, just now seeing them pacing by the tree line. One of the hounds near them growled at Crowley as he reached Dean and instinctively stood between it and the Winchester. He took a threatening step towards it, as though he was about to hit it, eyes widening slightly when the hound gave a partial whimper and backed off a few steps, now also pacing.

"…Did…you just…scare one away?" asked Dean, extremely confused, remembering hearing Crowley say that he only controlled his own hound.

"Apparently…power lacking or not, they still recognize me as King. That's the thing with hounds, Dean, they don't conspire like demons do. They still see me as their owner, their papa." Replied Crowley, eyeing the other hound until it also backed off, watching them regroup with the others, glancing over to see his own hound on the other side of the yard at the tree line.

"Why are they here? And how the hell can you see them still?" asked Dean, relaxing now that the hounds weren't so close, though he wasn't sure how far away they were so he kept the grip on the shovel tight.

"I'm assuming one of my enemies in Hell is working with Ainfean now. Not really a stretch to believe that. And I have no idea. Maybe power is coming back slowly." Sighed Crowley, he took two steps away from Dean and towards the group of hounds, waving his hand once at them, watching them run off into the woods after he did so. Dean stared as he did this, wishing he could see the hounds.

"They gone?..." he asked, brows furrowed.

"Yep. Just Growley here, now."

"Why didn't your mutt fight those off?"

"Because he's a survivor, like me, knows how to pick his battles. Had they attacked me, he would've attacked them. He's back on guard now." Replied Crowley, turning to look at his hound as it began walking around the yard.

"How'd you know they would listen to you and not tear you apart when you stepped in front of me?" he asked, curious, wondering if there were other things Crowley could still do that he hadn't told him about. The king turned and looked at him.

"I didn't." was his simple reply, steady gaze on Dean's face as shock settled on the man's features. He walked towards him to go around him, patting Dean's arm as he went. The Winchester turned towards him.

"Why, Crowley?" he asked, unable to hold the question in, watching as he turned to face him.

"Because that's what friends do, right? You tell me, Dean, I'm new to this whole smidgen of humanity thing." Retorted Crowley, brows raised at him, feeling he might as well be sincere since they were alone.

"I might be your ally but I'm not your friend." Replied Dean, stubbornly as he stepped over, sighing, feeling bad after saying that and not liking that he felt bad after saying that. Crowley narrowed his gaze at him for a few silent moments, seeing the truth that wasn't being spoken.

"Sure, Squirrel, sure."

Xxxxxx

Hardly two minutes after Crowley had gone outside, Elise returned. Except she didn't return alone. Sam, Jade, and Cas blinked when she suddenly popped back in then all stood up when noticing that she had someone with her. Not long after standing, once they all recognized the person, Sam dropped his glass which shattered on the floor, the only noise in the room for a few moments was the crack of it shattering.

"Where is he?" asked Elise, meaning Crowley, an irritated look on her face.

"He…he is outside. With Dean." Answered Cas, staring at the new guest, who had duct tape over his mouth.

"I'm leaving him here. King's orders. Let him know I'll call to report either later this evening or tomorrow." She said then vanished, the hold on the person she'd brought dropping.

The surly man ripped the duct tape off of his mouth with a growl of annoyance then stared at Sam, Jade, and Cas, not having any idea what to say to them. Watching Sam's look of shock linger, Cas' expression of confusion turn to happiness, and Jade's happy tears. No one spoke for several moments, all too confused and shocked to hear another howl outside, not having a clue that Dean and Crowley were facing hellhounds at the moment. Finally, Sam broke the silence.

"Bobby?..." he asked in a mix of a whisper, a broken voice, confusion, and shock.

****( and there's the big surprise, though I'm sure a lot of you might've guessed it. I couldn't help but add him in. I hope I write him well enough. Thank you guys for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, please leave me a review on your way out)****


	11. Unholy Confessions

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters, I only own Jade. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**KatieMarrie: **Crowley is the sexiest. Glad to know you're sticking around. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

** .7: **so good to hear you like how I write Crowley, he's my favorite and I'm desperate to get him right. He's so much fun to write for. I see why the writers on the show fight over who writes for him. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thedeathberry911: **shit's about to get very real. Shots fired. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **Holy Chuck, you've got a long penname. Haha. I'm honored to hear you think this is the best SPN fanfic. I'm overjoyed to hear I'm writing the characters well, that's the most important thing to me. If the characters are right, you can make the story anything you want it to be. My next mountain to tackle is to write Bobby correctly. That's part of the reason this chapter was so difficult to do, I've never written for him before and he's very unique, very difficult to write for. I hope I did it well. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

** .Queen: **not weird at all, I'm glad you like the author's notes, I don't put them down for me, I put them down for you guys. I love Crowley and Mark Sheppard more than life itself so I totally understand. I'm glad you love this story. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Author's Note: as stated, part of my reason for taking so long to post this chapter is that it was very difficult to write for Bobby for the first time. I still don't know if I did it well enough so you guys let me know in your reviews. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

Twilight Zone

Chapter 11: Unholy Confessions

Crowley hadn't gone back in right away, he lingered until Dean decided to give up and leave the rest of the snow for tomorrow. The cold making both their bones ache. Opening the door, Dean walked in first, putting the shovel down then staring in confusion at the sight of Sam and Jade both hugging someone, Jade crying as she did so. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it when Crowley set his hand on his shoulder.

"Relax." Said Crowley, giving his shoulder a pat before shutting the door behind them, causing everyone to look over. Dean's legs nearly gave way under him when he saw who the new person was.

"B..Bobby?" he stammered, feeling like he might cry.

"Just gonna stand there, ya idjit?" asked Bobby before smiling at him. Dean took two steps over and then hugged Bobby, everything else forgotten, at least for this happy moment as he hugged the man who was basically his foster father.

Bobby returned the hug happily, patting Dean's back before letting him go. His smile faltered when he saw Crowley, the King noticed it.

"Do I get a hug, too?" asked Crowley, brows raised, slight smirk on his face, not able to resist toying with Bobby.

"What the hell is this son of a bitch doin here?" demanded Bobby, glaring at Crowley.

"Easy, Bobby. A lot's happened while you were well…dead. A lot since Sam brought you outta Hell. Things aren't entirely the same." Explained Dean.

"Don't matter what's happened, he don't change. You know better than to trust him, Dean." Argued Bobby, good mood vanished at concern and anger. Crowley waved his hands.

"Standing right here, Robert…" he blurted, brows raised.

"If my word means anything, Dean is right. Much has changed. You could at least let us explain." Said Cas, earning himself Bobby's attention for a brief moment. The surly man clearly mulling over his decision before answering.

"Fine. Y'all explain this to me. But he don't do any talkin. I don't wanna hear anythin he's got to say." Replied Bobby, shooting a glare at Crowley as he spoke, who rolled his eyes in response.

"As if you didn't miss the splendid sound of my voice, Bobby." Retorted Crowley.

"You can wait in another room, you know. Zap yourself right outta here." Said Bobby, who then turned his attention to Dean as the man spoke.

"That's part of what we should explain. He can't, Bobby. Him or Cas. Both got temporarily turned human by some dick warlock. Cas was already with us, Crowley came to us for help." Said Dean, gaze never leaving Bobby, who stared right back, jaw dropping momentarily as he took in all this information. Then he cleared his throat.

"And you know what you shoulda done when he come knockin at the door as a human? Put a bullet between his eyes."

"Ouch…I do have feelings, you know…." Blurted Crowley, eyes on Bobby who ignored him.

"I punched him in the face, if that makes you feel any better. Knocked him out. Probably gave him a concussion." Said Dean. Crowley subconsciously reached to the scab on the back of his head where it hit the beam on the porch and had bled.

"Well, that's a little reassuring. Makes me comforted to know you haven't entirely lost your damn minds."

"Oooh, Bobby, Bobby, ask your beloved niece about me." Piped up Crowley, hand returning to his pocket and earning himself a warning glare from Jade, who put on a fake smile when Bobby turned to her and the boys sighed.

"Ask you what about him?..." asked Bobby, brows furrowed, thinking maybe she'd sold her soul to him or something, every worst scenario coming to mind.

"Probably just that I showed him how to get here. I don't know what else he'd be talking about." She lied quickly, afraid all hell would break loose if Bobby knew she'd slept with Crowley.

"Tsk, tsk…Bobby ask her how the shower sex was." Said Crowley, smirking and taking a wary step away from Bobby after he spoke. Which was a good move because the old man's alarmed look at the girl turned to a furious glare as he turned back to Crowley then lunged at him.

"You son of a bitch!" he barked at the King, grabbing him by the front of his coat and slamming him into the wall. Sam was closest and most able to intervene but he didn't, only Cas and Dean made moves towards Bobby, each man taking hold of one of his shoulders.

"Uncle Bobby…" sighed Jade, wringing her hands in front of her, her feeling of guilt overwhelming her anger at Crowley for bringing it up. She should've known he would. He just couldn't help himself. Dean and Cas managed to wrestle Bobby away from the King, trying to calm him down.

"Wow, for a moment there I thought you wanted a turn up against the wall…" blurted Crowley, an amused look on his face as he fixed his coat.

"Crowley, shut the hell up for once!" shouted Dean, more than a little agitated at the man being such an instigator. Bobby glared at Crowley the way a snarling dog glares at a trespassing dog then turned to look at Jade.

"How could you?" he asked her in a disappointed tone.

"I…how do you know he's not lying? You just assume he's being honest?..." she asked, looking as though him being disappointed in her put her in physical pain.

"He may be a liar but I know you and you've always liked what ain't good for you. And that son of a bitch is the King of everything that ain't good for you."

"Uncle Bobby…I'm…I'm sorry." She stammered, knowing he was right, watching him shake his head and sigh.

"Do you know what he's done, Jade? What he is? The countless lives he's ruined over all the time he's existed? Hell, the bastard tricked me into sellin him my soul then wouldn't give it back."

"Oh, Bobby, that is such old news…I gave it back eventually, anyway." Said Crowley, taking his coat off and hanging it up.

"Yeah? And what about snatchin my soul when I died and trappin me in Hell before Heaven could take me?..." snapped Bobby, turning back to him.

"Again, old news. Besides, the boys got you where you were meant to go. It's over and done with." Retorted Crowley, placing his hands in his jean pockets, longing for one of his suits again.

"Things haven't been the same in a long time, Bobby. He's not our enemy anymore." Stated Dean, earning himself an irritated look from Sam, a smile from Cas, and an alarmed look from Bobby.

"You know, we done tried that before. How long does it work, Dean? It never lasts. As soon as he sees a way to screw us over, he's no longer an ally." Argued Bobby, attention snapping to Crowley as the King moved around the group towards Jade.

"Bobby, it's not the same. Nothing is the same. You haven't been here to understand what we mean." Said Dean, trying to reason with him.

"This whole argument is fascinating, truly. However, we have more pressing matters at hand than trying to make Robert trust me. I had you brought back for a handful of reasons. Wouldn't you like to know what those reasons are?..." asked Crowley, eyeing Bobby.

"Oh, enlighten me, your majesty…" retorted Bobby, sarcastically. Crowley chuckled, grinning at him as he answered.

"For one, the boys need you. They need your smarts, your guidance, your support. Secondly, you're the only hunter I know that would have any knowledge of what is going on and how to stop it. Lastly, I just missed your surliness and knew you didn't agree with such an early retirement." Explained Crowley.

"Well, ain't you just a thoughtful prick…" blurted Bobby, a little calmer then sighing before turning enough to punch Crowley in the face, effectively making the man's nose bleed as he stumbled back and nearly fell again.

"Fucking hell! I brought you back as a favor, you prat!" shouted Crowley as blood poured out of his throbbing nose, hoping it wasn't broken, marginally relieved when he ran finger and thumb down it to find that it was still fully intact.

"That was for putting your filthy hands on my niece. And everythin else you've ever done to piss me off." Retorted Bobby, seeming a lot happier now that he'd done that, thinking he should've done it a long time ago. Sam smiled and actually laughed softly, earning himself a "really?" look from Dean while Jade just face-palmed.

"Okay, we done with the initial aggression and hatred? Cause Crowley's right, this warlock is the bigger problem." Said Dean, looking between the two.

"If we get to where I've got information stashed, I'm sure I can find something on him." Replied Bobby, successfully calmer and in his usual mood.

"Brilliant. Wonderful. Someone want to get me a rag?..." asked Crowley, irritated and just letting the blood spill out and stain his clothing.

"Come on, we'll clean up the blood." Said Jade, grabbing Crowley by the arm and pulling him towards the room they stayed in their first night there, moving before Bobby or anyone else could say anything. He let her tug him out of the room and watched her shut the door behind them and heave a sigh.

"That was eventful." He blurted, speaking through blood. Jade moved into the bathroom then returned to him with a hand towel that was cold from the frigid air that had penetrated this part of the cabin.

"Sit down, shut up." She retorted, pushing on his chest to make him sit on the bed. He raised his eyebrows but did sit down.

"Not even going to apologize for your blessed uncle's rash response?" he asked then had to shut up as she pressed the cold towel to his face just below his bleeding nose, mopping up the blood.

"No, you were asking for it. If he hadn't done it, I would've. What the hell is the matter with you? Did you really think that would go down well? Better yet, couldn't you tell I didn't want him to know when I lied?" she snapped at him after wiping up the blood then pressing a clean part of the towel to his still bleeding nose, making it possible for him to speak again.

"Oh, well, thank you for scolding me, _mum_." He snapped back at her, greenish-brown gaze moving over her face. She made a point of pinching his neck before answering, giving a slight smile at his yelp from the pinch.

"You're welcome, _daddy._" She replied, deliberately. Earning herself a slightly squinted look from him.

"You're a filthy, little tease." He purred the words, eyes never leaving her as she pulled the towel off his face to see if his nose was still bleeding. Taking advantage of her attention being distracted, he reached out and grabbed her round the waist, pulling her onto his lap.

"And you're a handsy pervert. You don't hear me complaining." She said, trying to not smile as she pressed the towel back to his face, seeing the bleeding wasn't quite done but it was close.

"All I ever hear is you complaining, darling…"

"Whoever taught you how to flirt, didn't teach you how to do it nicely."

"Touche, brat." He retorted, hand slipping beneath her to grab her ass and give a possessive squeeze.

"Excuse you, I am not a brat. And I don't remember giving permission for your hands to roam." She said, pulling the towel away, glad to see the bleeding had stopped fully.

"I'm the King of Hell, I don't need permission." Said Crowley, cracking a mischievous, bloodstained grin and winking at her. Then he leaned in and pressed lips to the front of her neck, brushing them against her skin when he heard her gasp briefly.

"Crowley…" she muttered in a shaky tone, free hand moving into the hair at the back of his head.

"Yes, pet?..." he purred against her skin before nipping gently, knowing exactly how sensitive her neck was and exactly how he affected her.

"We can't do this right now…Bobby's out there…." She stammered, voice breaking slightly at the nip, her head leaning over on its own to bare her neck to his delicious assault.

"Doesn't matter. You're mine." Was his lowly purred response, almost a growl with the last word as he moved his lips up and nipped her earlobe. Jade gave a tug on his hair and decided between the choices of getting off his lap or giving in that it was much more enjoyable to not pull away. She moved so that she was straddling him, setting her legs on either side of his hips as her hand at the back of his head pulled him into a heated kiss.

Crowley grinned against her lips before deepening the kiss with a soft moan, spurred on by how tightly her hand gripped his hair. His sinful hands expertly slipped up under her shirt and unclasped her bra, moving back down to lift her sweatshirt off. Jade let him break the kiss and leaned back somewhat, yanking the fabric off and out of their way. The cold air in the room made goosebumps immediately rise on her skin, well, the cold and the simple feel of his hands, lips, and tongue as he leaned in and slide his tongue across her lips. Her hips naturally rolled against him, grinding down on his lap with another moan as she parted her lips for his tongue, meeting his with her own.

As soon as she felt him fully harden in his jeans beneath her, she grinded down against him again, breaking the kiss for air and a triumphant smirk as she heard his groan of response. He leaned in and bit down on her neck possessively as his hands slid her bra off of her. Trailing his lips down across her collarbone, down across a breast, he covered one of her peaks with his mouth, earning himself another moan and another tug on his hair. Jade moved her hands from his hair and to the front of his shirt, unbuttoning it as quickly as she could, needing, physically aching to have his skin against hers.

Once his shirt was unbuttoned he let it slide off his shoulders then pulled back from her and yanked off the t-shirt he had on as well, no longer in the role of the seducer, though he didn't even notice it. It seemed his body knew what he wanted better than he did, dropping his little game of seduction and needing to feel her moving with him, to hear her moans, mix their sweat. He wasn't sure if this was an ache brought on by currently being human or if he simply did just need her that badly. His hands moved down her bared sides and around to the front of her jeans, opening them as he leaned in and pressed lips to hers again. Not a soft kiss but a passionate, needy one as their lips moved together and she returned it exactly the same way. Breaking the kiss for the briefest moment, she stood and kicked her shoes off, pushing down her jeans and panties before straddling him again, immediately returning her lips to his. One of Jade's hands rested in his hair while the other opened his jeans, after which, Crowley lifted his hips enough that he could help her push his jeans down, letting them drop to rest at the top of the boots he still had on.

Jade set her hands at his shoulders and pushed him back to lay on the old mattress, moving up further onto it with him so that neither of them fell off. Reaching down she pushed his boxers down just enough to comfortably free him, his sigh of relief music to her ears. She leaned down and crushed her lips to his in a firm kiss before pulling back to set her eyes on his hazel ones, feeling her heart pounding in her chest from arousal and the look in his gaze. Positioning herself above him once she sat up, her hips slowly sank down on him, a loud breathy moan leaving her lips as his own groan broke the silence when he entered her, his hands tightly clasping her hips while he moved his own up to meet hers.

Xxxxxx

As Jade and Crowley disappeared to fix his bloody nose, Bobby heaved a sigh and looked at his boys.

"I don't like that. How in the hell could you three let that happen? Helpful or not, I'm gonna kill him for this when we're all done." Vowed Bobby, clearly still angry but mostly calmed down. Sam walked into the kitchen and poured coffee in three mugs, handing them out as they all sat down at the kitchen table.

"Bobby, it really is not what you think. I've seen how they act together when they think no one is watching. Which is when people show their true selves. He is not using or harming her." Said Castiel who then thanked Sam for the coffee and returned his gaze to Bobby.

"He is a pretty damn accomplished liar, Cas. I wouldn't trust anything he says or does. Why in the hell is he still alive? I thought the plan was to kill him when you finished the trials, Sam. Shoot him once he was human." Retorted Bobby, eyeing the younger Winchester, who then sighed.

"Honestly? We couldn't. We never finished the trials, Bobby. Dean wouldn't let me because if we finished, I'd be dead." Explained Sam, looking back at the old hunter, whose eyes widened a little bit and he gave a nod after a moment.

"Alright. Dean was right to stop you, then. I still don't get why he's alive. Human or not, if you boys had him tied down enough to do the trials, you had him tied down enough to kill him."

"Bobby, it's kinda like this. If he's not running Hell, someone else will be. Personally, between the choices of Lilith, Lucifer, and all the other dickbags we've seen in the past, I'd rather Crowley be running things down there. Yeah, you can't always trust him, but at least he's not trying to have the human race annihilated or conquer Heaven, or bring about the apocalypse. He's the only one who's actually helped us in the past, that's why he's still alive. Because he can be helpful." Argued Dean, a little forcefully, causing the other three men to look at him with surprised expressions. Bobby went quiet for a few moments, rubbed his beard, then heaved a sigh.

"What you're sayin is that we will never get rid of all the bad guys and he's a useful and somewhat tolerable one so we should keep him where he's at?" asked Bobby, eyes on Dean still.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Every time he's screwed us over, we've been able to undo what he did. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to do that again if it comes to that."

"I still think we should kill him. Meg was right when she said he's always the problem." Said Sam, looking at his brother.

"We are not discussing this anymore. I love all three of you but if any one of you makes a move on him, I _will _stand in your way." Retorted Dean, giving his little brother a stern look. Sam opened his mouth to reply then his brows furrowed, as did the other three mens', as a loud moan issued from the bedroom.

"Yeah, good luck, Dean." Snapped Bobby as he got out of his seat to march towards that room, grabbing Sam's gun as he went. Dean jumped out of his seat and grabbed Bobby by the shoulders, pulling the man back down onto his chair.

"Stop. Alright? It's not like she's 16 or something. You wanna punch him again when they walk out here? Be my guest. I'll even hold him still for you. But no guns." Ordered Dean, feeling strange as he did so, having never talked to Bobby like that. He snatched Sam's gun out of his foster father's hand and put it in his own jeans.

The old hunter grit his teeth, visibly pissed once again, watching as Dean grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured a glass for Bobby, replacing the coffee with it. Bobby looked at him like he was gonna smack him in the head for a moment then took a long drink, thinking this was going to be a very difficult case to handle.

"I could take Bobby outside with me. I wanted to go for a walk since the snow is starting to melt." Offered Cas, knowing the man needed to get out of earshot of his niece and the King of Hell.

"I ain't a dog, Cas." Retorted Bobby as he stood up anyway, grabbing a coat as Cas did and following him out, glass of whiskey still in his hand.

***(( oh my fuck, that took forever to finish. I just could not get my brain moving enough. I'm so sorry that it took so long to post this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Leave me a review on your way out. ))***


	12. Don't Believe In Fairy Tales

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I only own Jade. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Ally The Queen: **Really glad you like how I wrote Bobby. I was worried about that. You're definitely not the only Crowley obsessed fan round here. Thank you for your review. I look forward to your next.

**Nikki owens 7: **I have things I want to say about that but I can't cause I'll ruin the twist of this chapter. I hope you forgive me. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**KatieMarrie: **You're welcome. Thanks for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **Yes, all things concerning Crowley are very steamy indeed. So glad you love this, it makes me smile to know you're that eager for every new chapter. I must admit Crobby is adorable and I ship it except I know I wouldn't write it well. As far as Bobby goes, I hope you forgive me for this chapter. I hope you forgive me in general for the feels shattering I'm about to do. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**MilleniumRing: **Well, as Metatron would say… Damn continuity errors. They're a writer's worst enemy. It's far too difficult to remember every little detail placed in a story, there's always going to be an error. I'm not writing a novel here so I'm not inclined to dwell over every single chapter and search for errors. Glad you like my writing of the boys, Cas, and Crowley. And I'm aware the story was getting slow, hence why my brain came up with the plot twist that takes place in this chapter. Hope it keeps you interested. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Author's Note: I'm about to subject you all to a terribly mean plot twist and I'm not even sorry. The evil just flows through me sometimes, I can't help it. **

Twilight Zone

Chapter 12: Don't Believe In Fairy Tales

Loud moans from both of them filled the room as Crowley sat up in order to trail his lips along Jade's neck as she rode him like it was their last night alive. Her hands immediately slipped into his hair when he sat up and touched his lips to her neck, tugging on the dark, now messy locks as she lifted and dropped on him. He reached up and cupped one side of her face, making her gaze meet his, another moan tumbling from his lips as she continued moving.

"Crowley…" she moaned his name, the addition of their gazes being locked somehow making her entire body a hundred times more sensitive. She was now a freight train barreling towards her second release, hands tugging on his hair again as her hips began to move frantically. His hand slipped into her hair and pulled, tilting her head back before licking up the front of her neck, stopping to nip her chin. As she moved the pace to a frenzy, he bucked his hips up to meet hers at random, moaning against her skin.

"Cum for me, love…" he half moaned, half breathed the words against her neck. Almost as if she was wired to directly obey him, she came hard, her moan of pure pleasure nearly a scream as her hands tugged on his hair again, one hand moving to drag her nails along his back. Feeling her tighten and release on him, he gave a low, growly groan as he bucked up one last time then came before he realized he was going to.

Crowley worked on steadying his breathing and nuzzled his scruffy beard against her neck as she ran her hands through his hair, slowly coming down from her high. Jade leaned her head against his, feeling the sticky sweat on her skin starting to cool. He slipped his hand into her hair and lifted his head to press lips to hers softly, she weakly returned the kiss, feeling as though if he didn't have his arm around her that she'd fall over.

"I can't get enough of you…" she mumbled against his lips, hand in the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I tend to have that effect…" he mumbled back then slightly smirked, brushing his lips against hers softly, hand flat against her back. She smoothed his dark hair slowly, breathing in his intoxicating scent, brushing her lips back against his before resting her head on his again.

"We should probably get out there." She mumbled tiredly, completely worn out from what they'd just done. He tended to have that effect on her, too.

"Only if you'll nap in the chair with me." He replied in a sleepy tone, not having a care in the world at the moment. Jade smiled and nuzzled her head against his once.

"Gladly." She answered in a soft tone.

Xxxxxx

Sitting in an awkward silence despite the radio playing loudly, Sam was giving Dean the definition of an "uncomfortable look". He had been for the last twenty minutes, at least. Dean sighed.

"Dude, can you stop? Look out the window or something." Blurted Dean, finally, getting up and grabbing a thawed beer.

"I will never be able to get this out of my head and it literally puts me physical pain, Dean."

"What, you think I like listening to that? I know I ain't waltzing in there and tellin them to stop. Doubt you are either. So…shut up, deal with it, stop staring at me." Stated Dean, opening the beer and taking a long drink as he sat back down. They sat listening to yet another commercial on the radio then heard over it a few particularly loud moans and then silence from the bedroom. Sam heaved a sigh of relief and grabbed another beer himself.

"Finally…good God. I think I need therapy, now." Blurted Sam who then took a long drink as well.

"You and me both. Glad Bobby stayed out of the house with Cas this whole time. We would've had a murder on our hands if he hadn't." said Dean, running a hand through his hair and then walking to a window to open it.

"We still might. You know Crowley can't keep his mouth shut to save his life. Not that that's a bad thing." Retorted Sam, a cold tone to his voice. Dean rounded on his brother, gaze narrowed and jaw set.

"You are not killing him. I don't understand you, Sam. You're the one who saw his change happen first hand and you still insist that he's a problem."

"He is still the problem. Like Meg said, he's always the problem."

"No, he's not. Not anymore. Know what he is now? He's a vicious junkyard dog that's been forcibly domesticated and turned into a sad, lonely hound. By our own doing. We wanted him unable to be a problem anymore. Well, we got that. You're not killing him. There's no need to."

"You keep saying that, Dean. Go ahead and say it all you want. But as soon as he turns on us. And he _will _turn on us, he always does. I will kill him. With or without your permission." Retorted Sam, gaze not leaving his brother as he spoke.

"You're wrong. He's not going to turn on us." Said Dean, looking right back at his little brother, pure certainty in his tone.

"Then you don't have anything to worry about, do you?" asked Sam, eyebrows raised.

Before Dean could reply, the door to the bedroom opened and Jade walked out, Crowley just behind her. Both of their clothes and hair disheveled, tired smiles on their faces, and a clearly visible bite mark on Jade's neck. Crowley looked over at the boys, squinting at them slightly, able to tell they'd been arguing about something.

"Where's the angel and Mr. Sunshine?" asked Crowley, slipping one of his hands around Jade's waist and pulling her against him.

"Outside so they can keep their sanity." Retorted Dean, giving Crowley an annoyed look. The king just laughed and let go of Jade, walking past her to the recliner and laying on it.

"Sorry…" said Jade, a sheepish look on her face before she walked over to the recliner and climbed onto Crowley's lap, laying her head against his chest. The boys watched him slip his arms around her as she covered them up.

"I'm very uncomfortable right now. This is far too weird." Said Sam as he got up to go out and find Bobby and Cas. Dean eyed Crowley and Jade for a moment then looked out the window, blinking in confusion when it was suddenly dark.

"What the hell…" he moved over and stared out, seeing nothing at all. Not even the faint outline of trees that one can see in the dark. Just nothing. Like nothing existed outside the cabin.

"What's going on?" asked Crowley tiredly, his eyes closed.

"Sammy! Sam!" shouted Dean, running to the door and swinging it open to stare at the vast nothingness. As though they were in a black hole. Alarmed, Jade moved off Crowley and he jumped up, staring around in confusion.

"Dean! What's going on?" he called at the other man.

"Cas! Bobby?! SAM!?" Dean roared out into the vast nothing.

"What…Jade…." Blurted Crowley, staring at the woman as she suddenly disappeared. Vanished out of existence right before their eyes.

A pop sounded in the room and both men turned to stare at the short, scruffy angel that stood before them.

"Hi, fellas. Let's bring you back to your realities, shall we?" he asked them gleefully before snapping his fingers. The cabin vanished and they stood in the middle of an empty rural road at night, their clothing changed to Dean's usual road clothes and one of Crowley's black suits. A faint scent of burning lingered as the Mark of Cain appeared on Dean's forearm. Memories flooded their minds of the past few weeks. Of Crowley being trapped at the bunker, Kevin being murdered, Sam being possessed, Abaddon trying to take over Hell, Crowley taking Dean to get the mark on his arm, Crowley binging on blood, finding the First Blade, the battle for Heaven slowly beginning, the battle for Hell still underway…

"You son of a bitch…" growled Dean, glaring at the short angel in front of them who laughed in return.

"What? I like a good story Dean. You two were getting boring with the same ole I hate you today but you're my pal tomorrow crap. Things will be much more entertaining now that you've worked that out. I just couldn't help myself. It gets a little boring being in Heaven all alone." Retorted Metatron, nodding at them as though they should know what it's like.

"None….none of that was real?" asked Dean, jaw clenched in anger.

"Well, you two were. Everything you two experienced together, that strengthening of your relationship was real. Everything else was pure fiction. Good fiction, but still fiction." Grinned the scribe.

"How could you possibly have the juice to throw _me_ into that? I'm not human." Demanded Crowley, astonishing Dean by being purely pissed himself, his rough voice even rougher as he growled his question.

"Obviously because I'm the new God, Mr. Crowley. You should've got the memo. You know, running Hell and all but…Oh, wait…that's not going so well for you, is it? Tisk, tisk…" retorted Metatron, clearly enjoying both of them being so frustrated and angry with him.

"You know…the last person who said that to me was an angel, too. A lot better of an angel than you. One actually worthy. Didn't work out so well for him, dick. What makes you think it'll work out for you?" snapped Dean, fury pumping through him and edging towards attacking the angel. He even took a step forward, bracing to attack, only stopping and blinking when Crowley's hand landed on his shoulder. Which, strangely enough, made Metatron laugh.

"Oh, yes, about that, too. I can't believe I almost forgot. Do you know why you feel inclined to listen to him, Dean? Why you trust him? Why you call him when you're scared?" asked Metatron, eyeing them both. Crowley knew exactly what he was getting at and narrowed his gaze into a glare at the angel.

"You little prat…" snarled Crowley, hand on Dean's shoulder now tightly gripping.

"What the hell is he talking about, Crowley?" asked Dean, giving the king a confused look.

"I'm talking about your new position in life due to that cute little branding on your arm, Dean. He knows what you are now. But he hasn't told you. He assumes you won't take it well. Honestly, I think he's right." Replied Metatron, shrugging nonchalantly.

"What new position?" demanded Dean, his gaze narrowing at Crowley.

"We can talk about this later, Dean. When you've calmed down and that little twit isn't here." Replied Crowley, looking back at the hunter, grip relaxing on his shoulder.

"I think you should tell him now, Crowley. Or I can. And I'm sure I won't do it with as much flattery as you will. You tend to be quite poetic, I must say." Piped up Metatron, grinning as he watched the exchange. Crowley closed his eyes for a moment, clearly against this as he took a deep breath then opened his eyes to look at Dean again.

"There's more to the mark than what I originally told you, Dean. That's the gist of it." Is all he said, watching as Dean's gaze narrowed, the anger now directed at him as well.

"Like. What." Growled Dean.

"Cain was Lucifer's knight. As was his whole order because he sired them for his army as he served Lucifer, which means Abaddon included. You, however, are not Lucifer's. Nor are you Cain's. I'm still technically the King of Hell. Therefore, since you became a knight while I'm still the King…you're my knight." Explained Crowley, speaking as though it was giving him physical pain to tell this hidden truth.

"Wired to obey, trust, and even somewhat love your king. How you humans wonder how you could possibly be pawns still fascinates me." Chuckled Metatron as Dean took in Crowley's words. His look of anger and confusion slowly slipped into pure pained betrayal.

"….Wow….and here I actually thought you'd changed." Said Dean slowly, staring at Crowley, completely ignoring Metatron's existence for a few moments.

"Dean, I have. You don't understand. It's just something that comes with the mark, it wasn't of my choosing."

"You tricked me into getting the mark so I could be your bitch. I get it. Not hard to understand, Crowley." Retorted Dean, anger edging his tone.

"That's not why. I tricked you into doing something I knew you'd have done yourself eventually. Because only you are strong enough to do it. I know that because I know you." Argued Crowley, desperate to not lose his only friend.

"I should've brought popcorn. This is even better than something I could write up." Interrupted Metatron, grinning at them. Both Dean and Crowley turned and glared at the short angel.

"When we're done with that bitch. I'm comin for you. You better enjoy Heaven while you can, cause I'm gonna show you Hell." Growled Dean, causing the angel's grin to widen into a smirk.

"I look forward to it. The best stories end with a dead hero." He said then vanished with a distant sound of fluttering wings.

Dean turned to Crowley, his boots scuffing gravel on the side of the crossroads lit by a bright moon. The king looked back at him and they lingered in a strange silence for a few minutes. Dean was waiting for Crowley to just leave and avoid arguing with him or the conversation in general. He kept waiting but it wasn't happening. He almost wanted him to leave, Dean didn't want to face this anymore than the king did. The hunter wanted nothing more in his soul at the moment than to go back to simple hatred of all things from Hell and vice versa, life was so much simpler that way. But those days were so long gone, weren't they? Evil lingered in heaven and surprising help came from down below more often than from up above these days. The mark on his arm heated up, almost as though the ancient symbol was personally reminding him that he couldn't run from any of this, that he couldn't just wish it all away. No matter how hard he tried.

"Sam was right out at Magnus's. We should've killed you when we had the blade." Blurted Dean, his anger bubbling at the surface due to the frustration of being trapped in this situation.

"Dean…"

"I think you wanted me bound to you like this so that I couldn't kill you. Because you knew, you fucking knew that someday you'd screw me over again and that I would!" Dean went on, in a near full rage, close to getting violent.

"Dean, if you'd shut up for a moment and listen to me, you'd know that's not how it works." Retorted Crowley angrily, wishing the hunter would stow his stubborn fury and calm down so they could talk.

"Really? How's it work, then, Crowley?"

"You _can_ still kill me, Dean. The mark just tones down your negative attitude for me and focuses you on only the positive ones. If I was to do something like…hurt Sam, which I wouldn't, but if I had…Because you love your brother, the mark wouldn't focus on the positives anymore. It would let you kill me without giving you any guilt. Why do you think I had to take the blade from you?" asked Crowley, speaking quickly, frustrated and feeling nervous at sharing this information with him. Knowing it put him in a vulnerable position. Dean stared at him as he spoke, heaving a sigh and calming down a bit before answering.

"You still could've fucking told me that this would happen. What this meant."

"True. I could've. Perhaps I knew you would take it badly, Dean. Maybe I just wanted to avoid that fight. Maybe I just wanted to-…avoid it." Replied Crowley, cutting himself off and sighing.

"Maybe you just wanted to what?" asked Dean, jaw still clenched a bit. Crowley looked away from him, something he never did during conversation.

"Maybe I just wanted to have a friend. I mean…what else have I got, Dean? That bitch is tugging Hell out from beneath me, the demons won't pick a side until the fight is over…I have nothing else." Answered Crowley, suddenly looking different to Dean. He didn't appear as the smug, dickhead king of all things evil in this moment. Rather he resembled a broken, tired, old, lonely being who relied on drugging himself with human blood to feel anything. This sobered Dean's anger, which inwardly frustrated him but he couldn't help it. It was hard to want to beat the shit out of Crowley when he looked so beaten already.

"We should start walking." Stated Dean, able to calm down but not able to make himself try and cheer the king up.

"Why? Say where you want to go and I'll get us there." Replied Crowley, then clearing his throat and raising his chin a bit. Slipping back into pretending he still had everything, including himself, under control.

"Alright. Bunker."

"Done." Said Crowley as he set his hand on Dean's shoulder and everything blurred as they vanished from the empty, forgotten road in the middle of nowhere.

****(so, I don't know where the inspiration for the mean plot twist came from but it just randomly hit me. I felt my story slipping away and then the idea smacked me so I went with it. I hope you like it. I hope you forgive me and stick with the story. Thanks for reading, please leave me some reviews on your way out. )** **


	13. When The Levee Breaks

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**AllyTheQueen: **Thank you for the applause. Evil is as evil does. Glad you loved it, I took a big chance, I knew I could lose readers by doing that but I wanted to do it. I don't think you can love Crowley and not have at least a smidgen of evil in you. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Toni: **glad the plot twist surprised you. I'm not going to bring Jade back, however…I am going to bring back the person I modeled her after and the person that you'll find out Metatron modeled her after. You'll see. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**KatieMarrie: **Glad you liked the plot twist. And no, Jade was never really real, she was a projection modeled after someone Metatron found out was extremely important to Crowley once upon a time. Glad you're sticking around. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **Hahaha, AAAANNNNGGGGGSSSSSTT. Sorry, there's something wrong with me. Glad the plot twist hit so hard, I'd really really hoped it would. You had the response I was begging for. And I've always wanted the show to portray Dean and Crowley as more friendly towards each other because I think it's there, I really do, the show just hasn't brought it to the surface enough. I'll do my very best to keep up the good work. As far as Crobby….I'll consider it. This is the only fanfic I wanna focus on at the moment but maybe somewhere down the line I'll look into doing a Crobby fic. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 13: When The Levee Breaks

Quietly making their way into the bunker, not knowing if Sam was there or not, Crowley and Dean shared an awkward silence once the king let go of the hunter. Once in the main room, their actions mirrored each other as they both went to pour themselves scotch at the same time, both blinking then Crowley holding his hands up in surrender.

"You go first. This is becoming like a cheap musical." He stated, finally breaking the silence. Dean rolled his eyes and sighed as he poured himself his drink then walked over to a corner of the table where someone had left books open.

"I don't know if Sammy's here now but he's been here." Said Dean, then taking a drink. Their attention was distracted as the younger Winchester's loud voice came towards them from down the hall.

"Dean?! That you?!" called Sam.

"Yeah, it's me! You seen Cas lately?" replied Dean, sighing in relief at hearing his brother's voice, his real brother not some projection of Metatron's.

"No, I thought that that's where you'd gone, to meet with him or something, you never - …what the _hell _is he doing here?..." asked Sam in a low growl, his original response cut off as soon as he saw Crowley.

"Nice to see you, too, Moose. Missed your hospitality." Retorted Crowely before taking a drink.

"Sam, calm down. Just, let's just be civil. Okay? You wanted to know where I was, right?"

"Last time I saw you, you betrayed us. Again." Stated Sam, not paying any attention to his brother, jaw set and glaring at Crowley. The king immediately returned a glare at those words.

"Probably because I was being an ally, trying to be a friend and you decided that you wanted to kill me. _You_ betrayed _me_ first, Moose." Snapped Crowley, setting his glass of scotch down loudly. Considering all that he and Dean had been subjected to recently, he wasn't quite as composed as usual.

"Yeah? And we're still not even from all the other shit you've put us through." Argued Sam as Dean finished his glass of scotch then slammed it on the table.

"Alright, enough! Sam, I'm with him, I brought him here, I think he's okay. That should be good enough for you! Just drop it!" shouted Dean, fed up with arguing and bullshit. Just wanting some peace for a little while.

"Drop it?! Dean, he kept Bobby in Hell, trapped him, for _how _long?! Not to mention kidnapping Kevin and everything else he's ever done!"

"I've heard this too many times. I'm sick of hearing it. Fucking drop it, Sam." Retorted Dean, getting close to brawling with his brother. The last thing he wanted was to have this exhausting argument again, for real this time.

"Girls, girls…you're both pretty." Blurted Crowley, stepping between them, aware that he'd probably get punched for it but just wanting to get them to stop fighting. He earned himself an annoyed look from Dean and a hateful one from Sam simultaneously.

"What. Is. He. Doing. Here." Demanded Sam, not looking away from his brother.

"I'm here to install a stripper pole. Liven up your depressing little batcave." Answered Crowley, smiling at his own comment, making Dean roll his eyes.

"Look, Sam, we've just been through the ringer, alright? If you'll calm down and take a seat, we'll explain it." Said Dean, his green eyes pleading with his younger brother. Sam's brow creased into a slight frown, recognizing the pleading and more than a little concerned.

"Alright. Fine." Replied Sam a bit stiffly, he pulled out a chair and sat, looking at his brother who sat down across from him. Crowley simply leaned against the table.

"And now we observe the Moose in a calm and peaceful state…" mumbled Crowley, refilling his glass of scotch. Sam gave him an annoyed and confused look, as did Dean.

"What?" Sam blurted, unable to help himself when he heard Crowley's mumbled yet professional tone.

"It's much more entertaining to be around you when I narrate everything you do as though it's a wildlife documentary." Replied Crowley nonchalantly, then taking a drink.

"Seriously?..." asked Sam in the 'I am not impressed, you're being a child' tone that he usually reserved for Dean. Both hunters just staring at Crowley for the moment, who shrugged

"What? Gotta do something for entertainment around you two. You're both so depressing these days…" grumbled Crowley, yet again refilling his glass, earning himself a strange look from Dean who could tell that he was trying to get drunk.

"Well…what happened?" asked Sam, bringing the topic back to what was important. Dean heaved a sigh and leaned back in his chair then proceeded to tell Sam everything that happened in the fictitious reality Metatron had trapped him and Crowley in, leaving out the sex and the part about what Metatron and Crowley had explained about the mark. He figured he need Sam to get on board and stay on his and Crowley's side for a while before telling him that, if ever. He had a sinking suspicion that if he told Sam about it, his little brother would take it upon himself to kill Crowley without Dean's knowledge or permission. Dean knew this because he was a hypocrite and would do the same if the situation were reversed. By the time the story was told, almost in entirety, Sam stared at his brother and Crowley, a little slack-jawed.

"I…I don't even know what to say…" blurted Sam, staring at his brother.

"Yeah, well, all I knew what to say was threats. The midget angel thought they were funny rather than intimidating. I want him dead." Replied Dean as he watched wheels in his brother's head turn.

"You realize why he did that, right? To distract you. Both of you. Distract you with emotion." Said Sam.

"What? How the hell do you figure that?" asked Dean, starting to fear his brother was right.

"Dean, who's one of the people you miss with all your heart and want back that Crowley would've theoretically been able to bring back? Bobby. You had him. For that glorious short period of time and then he was taken away again. That hurts, don't lie to me and pretend it doesn't. Even if you found out it was fake, he was real to you during that time." Explained Sam, leaning forward, sympathetic gaze on Dean who stayed silent. Not wanting to reply to that.

"Fair assessment. Don't see how it fits me, however. I'm evil, remember?" blurted Crowley, finally sitting down, pouring the rest of the bottle into his glass.

"You can try and deny it all you want Crowley. How many times do I have to remind you that I saw you break down in that church? Do you not remember what you said?"

"What's the point? Doesn't matter." Retorted Crowley with a scowl. Sam ignored him.

"You said everyone deserves to be loved. That you just wanted to be loved. Metatron knows you have that humanity in you now, he knows you feel and you hurt. So what did he do? He gave you what you craved. Dean himself said you two cared for each other. He gave you what you so desperately wanted then snatched it away and let you know it was fake. Basically telling you no one would ever love you in reality. I've watched you drink that whole bottle and you're not being your usual dickish self. Don't try and lie to me." Argued Sam, eyes on the depressed King. Crowley clenched his jaw and ignored Dean's glance at him.

"Well, thank you Dr. Moose…So insightful." Snapped Crowley, finishing what was left in the glass then sighing, partly wishing he could get drunk as easily as humans could. A craving for something else tapped at the back of his mind and he distantly wondered if he could get one of the Winchesters to draw their own blood for him. Scratching his beard in the moment of silence, he realized that there was no chance in Hell or here that they'd do that, not after how they forced him to quit for a period of time.

"We need to deal with both wars as soon as possible before earth becomes collateral damage." Said Dean, looking at his brother.

"Hell first. The angel is taking care of Heaven for now. You need my team back in the game if you have any hope of stopping this false God." Interrupted Crowley, looking at them both.

"Please tell me how Hell is going to help Heaven…" stated Sam, giving Crowley an annoyed and disbelieving look.

"Because I have the key…" replied Crowley, grinning at them both mischievously.

"What key? A key to Heaven?" asked Dean.

"No."

"Then what, Crowley?" asked Sam, as frustrated as he was curious.

"I have the key to the cage holding Heaven's two big brothers and I highly doubt they would take kindly to the scribe taking over…Particularly Mikey…" replied Crowley, still grinning at the boys, watching their eyes widen ridiculously.

"What?" blurted Sam.

"You would let them out?! Are you insane?" snapped Dean, remembering how bad it was the first time they were both loose.

"You must admit, they make a formidable weapon, boys. Even Lucifer would be pissed if he were to know what Metatron is doing to his old home. He's a dick, yes, a spoiled brat, yes…But deep down, past the hatred and anger, he still loves his family. You both know this." Explained Crowley.

"Yeah, maybe they'd help, but then the apocalypse starts again, Crowley. We know how that story goes. Lucifer won't make the same mistakes twice." Argued Sam.

"What if….I said I could put them on a leash…" said Crowley, eyeing them as their eyes nearly popped out of their heads again.

Xxxxxx

Abaddon was just taking the time to wipe blood of a now dead Crowley supporter off of her blade when she heard the tell-tale signs of something appearing behind her. Whirling around, ready to fight, she blinked at the short angel suddenly standing there.

"Hello…your highness." He said with a slight mock of a grin and nod of the head. Surprise lingered on Abaddon's face for a few moments then amusement took its place.

"Metatron. To what do I owe this strange pleasure?" she asked, relaxing her stance but not putting her blade away.

"Well, we appear to be at war with the same little group of pains in the asses. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, or something like that. I thought, we could kill two birds with one stone. Fix your problems and mine with a single stroke." He explained, seeing her blade was still out and showing complete apathy about it.

"Why would you care about my problems? You want me to be your hellbitch? Run things the way you want them? Take orders from you about the souls? Ha, I don't think so. I can take care of my own problems."

"Not so much. You can do whatever you want with hell. I don't care about the damned. I just want the Winchesters and Castiel out of my way. Now, those boys and the angel are generally one in the same, all being such good friends. It seems that your little pain in the ass is also tagging along with them these days. You collaborate with me, we get rid of that rebellious angel, save everything non-human from the Winchesters, and kill the King of Hell. All at once." Said Metatron, starting to walk around her a little bit as he pitched his deal sealing attempt.

"What could you need from me that merits such a visit?" she asked, completely skeptical about everything the angel spoke of.

"Nothing. Except that the problems can be dealt with faster. In all honesty, you need me." He retorted, smile not faltering when she openly laughed at him.

"I don't need you. If you haven't noticed, I've taken over already. Just a matter of tying up loose ends."

"Except that you're wrong…" he replied in a sing-song tone, making her narrow her gaze at him.

"Bullshit."

"Pure truth. See, Hell isn't going to be yours until you've killed the King. That's how it works in monarchies of the damned. And you can't kill the King if Dean Winchester, the new Knight of Hell, is protecting him. You know it, I know it. You could beat anyone…except him. Not when he's determined to kill you. Look at his track record." Argued Metatron gently, pitching this as though he were pitching a fantastic screenplay.

"Who's to say the Winchesters care enough to help that bastard regain Hell?" she bluffed, not wanting these truths shoved in her face and certainly not prepared to trust Metatron.

"I think you greatly underestimate the mutual affection between them and Crowley. At least between him and Dean. You know as well as I do how that works." He stated, gaze even on her as he stopped walking around her, now returned to where she faced him.

"I. Don't. Need. An. Angel's. Help." She nearly snarled the words, a scowl on her face, grip tightened on her blade.

"I'm not just some angel. Run me through with that blade if you want and see for yourself. You want the King's head on a platter? You need me. You're good, but you can't beat a marked Dean Winchester all by your lonesome. This is going to take battle planning and scheming, not a simple brawl. If you'd rather do things your way, by yourself, and lose all that you've so desperately tried tugging away from Crowley…be my guest. I don't really care. Clock's ticking…your window is going to close very soon." He stated, taking a step back to make her feel as though despite his words, it was entirely her choice and not persuasion. That he'd just offered a decent deal and she'd be dumb to not take it. She stared at him in silence for a few minutes, considering his offer. Due to her pride, she truly didn't believe she needed any help to take care of this by herself. However, the prospect of killing Crowley and fully taking over a lot quicker than it would've happened on her own was a very juicy promise.

"Fine. You help me get Crowley and Dean out of the way and I'll help you get Sam and Castiel taken care of. Pure, even deal. You'll get Heaven and I'll get Hell. No re-negotiating." She stated, looking at him, watching him grin widely.

"Great! I always knew Heaven and Hell could work together just fine." He replied, offering his hand. She stared at his hand for a moment then took it in hers, giving a firm shake, eyes widening when he felt a pulse of power pass from him to her.

"What the hell did you just do?!" she demanded, swiftly moving her blade to press against his neck, infuriated by his apathy about it.

"I sealed our deal. My word is my bond. Neither of us can betray the other, now, or the deal is broken and we will know." He explained, giving her blade a bored look. Abaddon glared at him for a few moments then pulled the blade away, backing off.

"You're lucky you're being useful. Ally." She said lowly before disappearing.

Metatron watched her go and cleared his throat, a mischievous grin settling on his features, proud of how well he sold that.

"Sealing a deal… Ha. At least Crowley wouldn't have been dumb enough to fall for that..." he chuckled, thinking he much preferred Hell being ruled by an idiot than an intelligent and manipulative being. It was going to be so much easier for him this way. After glancing around once, he vanished, returning to Heaven to get some work done.

****( I think the plot is progressing nicely. Hope you guys are enjoying it. Thanks for reading and please leave me some reviews on your way out. )****


	14. Say You'll Haunt Me

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. For Chuck's sake, you think I'd be spending time writing if I owned Crowley?... Geeze. And no, I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Author's Note: **I realize no one has reviewed chapter 13 yet but I couldn't wait to post this one so here ya go, guys.

Twilight Zone

Chapter 14: Say You'll Haunt Me

"The final answer is no. That won't end well. It might solve one problem but it'll create a new one." Argued Dean, both Winchesters still giving Crowley a look as though he'd just broken out of the nuthouse.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Dean, when do you ever solve a problem and _not _have a new one pop up? Never. Face it, it's the best chance we've got. I don't know how Metatron has the power he has. It's not the same thing Cas did or he'd have been pulled apart by now." Retorted Crowley, relieved to be having this argument rather than having the boys analyze what Metatron did to him with that false reality.

"Look, Crowley, it's great that you suddenly care about our problems and all but stop. We're not solving the issue with Heaven by releasing Satan and Michael." Said Sam, then heaving a sigh as he stood up and stretched. The three of them having been sitting there for hours now as they discussed and argued. Crowley rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair.

"You forget that it will eventually be my problem, too, boys. If you don't solve it yourselves, I'll solve it my way. Be aware of that and don't get mad at me when your plan fails and I release the big dogs." Stated Crowley, standing up as well.

"Then we just won't fail." Retorted Dean, stubbornly before he yawned.

"Sure you won't. You two rest. I'm going to go put my ear to the ground and see what I've missed while we were gone. I'll be back in a few hours." Said Crowley, heading for the stairs, fully intending to do what he said. After he'd had a fix of blood, of course. He couldn't handle being fully coherent for too much longer, not after everything that'd happened recently. He needed an escape. Before he got past the first step of the stairs, a bear paw of a hand grabbed the back of his coat and pulled him back, turning him to look up at Sam. Dean wasn't anywhere to be found and had probably gone off to bed. Crowley raised his eyebrows at the younger Winchester.

"Is…this where you kill me before your brother can stop you?..." asked Crowley, keeping a smug look on his face to not show that he actually did fear such a thing.

"No. Against every instinct I have, every ounce of judgment I possess, I'm trusting you. I was wrong about Benny, I could be wrong about you, too. If Dean trusts you that much, he must know something I don't or you must've proven yourself trustworthy to him." Explained Sam, his voice firm as he spoke. Crowley's eyes widened for a moment and he stared in silence briefly before speaking.

"…So, then this would be where you tell me to not make you regret trusting me or…you'll rip out guts, snap necks, blah blah blah?..." he asked, still looking up at the obnoxiously tall Winchester.

"Yeah, that would be what this is. I think you get the idea. Don't fuck us over, Crowley." Said Sam, letting go of the king's jacket and watching him take a few steps backwards up the stairs so they'd be at eye level.

"Don't fuck you or don't fuck you over?..." asked Crowley, unable to help himself, an amused look on his face. Internally, he was so relieved that Sam wasn't going to kill him that he reverted back to his usual jackass self, making everything a joke. His question earned him a look of annoyance.

"Don't fuck us over. You know exactly what I said, you ass."

"Oh, that…I wouldn't dream of that one." Retorted Crowley, smirking and giving Sam a wink before continuing up the stairs and out the door, leaving the younger Winchester to stand there for a moment with an alarmed and traumatized look on his face.

Xxxxxx

She was waiting for him this time, knowing he would appear to speak with her again, and unsurprised when the short angel appeared in front of her.

"What is it this time?" asked Abaddon, blinking in a bored manner at Metatron.

"I have a wonderfully cruel little plan to put in place, a first stroke of attack. Mostly aimed at Crowley." He explained, smiling but clearly wanting to get right down to business this time rather than chat.

"What do you need me for, then? And what is it?" she asked, annoyed rather than curious.

"Well, I can't do it alone. I need your assistance. Since you are considered by the ancient magic of Hell an intruder, I can override certain things. I need you to escort me down to the lowest and oldest level of Hell. The first prison intended for Lucifer. Dante's frozen ninth level."

"I know what the lowest and oldest level of Hell is….What could you possibly need down there?" she asked, now curious and confused.

"There's a door down there. A door you or anyone else down there cannot open. I can open it. I need to retrieve someone from the other side of that door."

"What's on the other side of that door?"

"The other side of that door is where demons go when they are killed. Hell's Hell." He stated, watching the confusion on her face move into shock and, dare he say it, a tiny bit of fear.

Xxxxxx

After having snatched a random person on the street, Crowley had settled in the penthouse of a hotel, gagged the person, tied them up, and hid them. Once he'd filled a few syringes of course. He wasn't intending to use all of them but rather stock up for a little while, knowing he'd have to hide this. Dean would be angry even though he knew Crowley still did it but there was no telling how Sam would react. He didn't want to chance anything. Putting two in his coat, he placed the rest in the fridge of the penthouse. He'd bought it out years ago and was basically considered to be renting it under a false name. Being very specific about the rules of his penthouse, no one would be coming in to clean it and no one in Hell knew he had it.

Crowley slipped his coat off and draped it over a chair, doing the same with his suit jacket then pulling his tie off and tossing that atop the coats. Taking a seat in one of the armchairs of the room, he unbuttoned his sleeve, carefully rolling it up to bare his forearm before pressing the sharp tip of the needle to his skin above a blood vessel. Pushing the needle in slowly, he then pushed the plunger down, sending half a syringe full of human blood shooting through his system. The initial effects hit almost immediately as relaxation and numbness flooded him, blanking his mind. Pulling the needle out and tossing it away, he leaned back in his seat, head resting back and heaving a sigh as his eyes drifted partially closed.

Lingering like that, the blankness started to vanish as his mind wandered. Thankfully still numb as he began to think of Jade. Why had she meant so much in such a short period of time? Why? Because she reminded him of someone. Someone he'd been attached to for many years and then lost, by his own hand. She reminded him of this someone when they had first become a demon and been distracted by him as she waited for Lucifer to be broken free. Waited for decades. A lot can happen and be hidden away in that much time, as he well knew. Fewer had known about him and her than had known about him and Naomi. Mainly because this person would've gouged the eyes and still-beating heart out of anyone who had found out.

He distantly wondered how Dean hadn't picked up on it from the way that they had fought in that fake reality. The person she reminded him of, well, demon, had always fought with him, even when they were lovers. She was one of the few who had.

If Metatron had intentionally mirrored her with Jade, that meant he'd gotten into his head somewhat. Had he been sober right now, that would be so alarming to him that he'd have a fit. However, he currently curiously wondered how much more of him the midget angel had discovered during the mind fuck he'd delivered to him and Dean.

Before he could get too much farther into wondering about that, his mind drifted off into blankness again and he began a meditative-like state of dozing, still in his chair with one sleeve rolled up. Unaware of the maid that had come in while he was stoned, smiled, then walked back out and sent a message to Metatron.

Xxxxxx

The short angel stepped back into the impossible cold, holding the arm of the demon he'd grabbed. Abaddon had stayed, unwilling to look upon what her eternal resting place would be someday.

"That's all you needed me for?" she asked him as they traveled back up to Earth, appearing at a cemetery outside an old mansion that it was well known Crowley owned.

"Yes." He replied, moving to stand over a specific grave, speaking lowly in Enokian. She watched, curiously, then simply vanished. Abaddon was starting to like the angel less and less, ally or not. Not to mention refusing to be visibly unnerved in front of him.

A bright, blinding light flashed over the grave and then the body of the woman who was buried there stood before him, this demon's old vessel. Confusion and lingering fear from where she'd been was present on her face. He raised his hand to her head, almost as though to smite her and spoke in the ancient tongue once more, watching another light flash.

"I am your ruler. I am your God. You will answer to me and you shall never remember doing so. Do you understand?" he asked her, voice firmer than usual.

"Yes." She replied, eyes blank. He was pleased to find the inner workings of demons were similar to angels.

"Good. Here are your instructions…" he began, smiling now as he spoke in that strangely firm voice.

Xxxxxx

Sam stood outside the entrance of the bunker, looking around and waiting. He heaved a sigh then quickly turned as he heard the distant flap of wings signaling the arrival of an angel. The trench coat clad, black haired, blue eyed angel quickly stepped over to him.

"I heard your prayer and went searching. I couldn't find him. Have you heard anything?" asked Castiel. Sam gave him a relieved smile.

"It's okay, Cas. He's back. He's alright." Replied Sam, watching the angel's eyes widen briefly.

"Where was he? I couldn't track him anywhere. Had he warded himself against me?"

"No. He and Crowley were thrown into some sort of fake reality by Metatron. Trying to mess with their heads and whatnot."

"He and Crowley?" asked Cas sharply, in the tone of someone who thinks their spouse is cheating on them. It was Sam's turn to have eyes widen this time.

"Yeah, him and Crowley. Dean has the mark, you know that. It only makes sense that they work together. They have to in order to kill Abaddon." Explained Sam.

"Crowley is a liar and cannot be trusted, Sam. You know this as well as I do. What he did for you when you were possessed surprised even me, yes, but he knew he wouldn't be freed if he didn't do that. You can't trust that he did it out of the sudden goodness of his blackened heart." Argued the angel, brows furrowed in frustration. Sam sighed again before speaking.

"Cas, I've thought of all this. I have. Trust me. I was all for killing him until tonight. I don't think either of you wanted him dead more than I did."

"Then what could have possibly changed that?"

"That fake reality was real to them. Dean told me of quite a few things Crowley said and did that have changed my perspective a bit. Believe me, I'm not gonna be letting him wander off alone with the blade and my brother but…he is different, Cas. Just because I didn't finish the trials doesn't mean they didn't change him." Explained Sam, watching Cas's expression relax as he truly thought of what was said.

"Sam…"

"If Dean trusts him, he must have done or said something worth being trusted. That's my final say on it."

"Fair enough but I would watch him very closely." Replied Cas with a sigh of his own.

"Don't worry, I am. So, you wanna come in? Dean's sleeping but the way he sleeps, I doubt it'll be long before he's up again." Offered Sam, hands in his coat pockets, he frowned slightly when Cas shook his head.

"No, I can't. I have too many things to do. I abandoned my duties of finding and fighting Metatron in order to look for Dean and if what you say is true then that might be half the reason he did it. Tell Dean…I'm glad he's alright." Said Cas, then disappearing before Sam could say anything else.

The younger Winchester sighed and shook his head.

"They're like a separated couple…." He muttered to the empty air before opening the bunker door and stepping back inside.

Xxxxxx

Dean was fast asleep for once, caught in a partial nightmare that he'd forget as soon as he woke. Which was exactly three seconds after it reached his senses that the bunker door had been closed and locked. His green eyes snapped open and he listened to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs briefly then sighed with relief, easily recognizing the sound of Sam's huge feet.

The elder Winchester rolled over to lay on his front, bunching up the pillow beneath his head and blinking at the clock on the table next to him. He knew there was no reason for him to not be catching up on sleep right now but his mind was suddenly wide awake with rambling thoughts.

Sam was right, Metatron had had a fake Bobby show up just to mess with his head. Though he hadn't admitted or shown it yet, that hurt more than he was willing to admit. To have him back, or to make him think he had him back, then just snatch him away again. It made him feel like a little boy to have that sadness fester in him, pile upon pile of it. The bottom of the pile was his mom and dad while the load right at the top was Bobby. A cruel sandwich of those his heart longed for the most that were stolen from him long before they ever should have been.

Feeling a lump rise in his throat and noticing that his vision was starting to get blurry, he closed his eyes and swallowed it all back down before he lost control. Making himself sit up in bed, he reached over and grabbed the whiskey bottle on the table, opening it and taking a long drink. It was the only thing he'd ever had that he knew for sure could drown the pain, at least for a little while.

Finally making himself set the bottle back down, Dean heaved a sigh and lay in bed once again. He was tired, he couldn't deny that, but that didn't mean he was going to be able to sleep. A large part of him wanted to go get in the Impala, blare some music, and just drive. That was a bad idea, though, and he knew it. Crowley would be back at any time with an update and they could have to move on something immediately. Too many things were at stake. It wasn't like the old days of just hunting ghosts and wendigos where it wasn't a big deal if in-between cases he just went cruising on back roads to nowhere. In fact, there was nothing like the old days. It may still be him and Sam and the Impala but that was it. Everything else had changed. He wondered if that's what saddened him the most then pushed it out of his mind before he got the urge to drink again.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and began thinking the lyrics of a random song to basically have his mind lullaby himself to sleep. Sometimes it worked, most times it didn't. Luckily enough for him, it worked this time and he soon drifted back off to sleep.

Xxxxxx

Crowley forced himself to put his phone down although he was on the verge of dialing Dean. He knew a drunken or stoned phone call mere hours after he'd left wasn't a good idea, even through the haze the blood put him in. His high was starting to come down. This was the part where all his newly found, sappy, pained, no longer buried emotions spilled out whether he wanted them to or not. The numbness and blankness had faded away and now his brain wouldn't stop throwing memories at him to feel guilty about or thoughts of what a monster he is and how he will never be loved. Usually, Crowley would just administer another small dosage of blood to take the downing edge off but he knew that was a slippery slope. The boys needed him coherent so he'd have to deal with the pain this time. Or…drown it.

Fumbling hands reached for the bottle of Craig on the table next to him and opened it, drinking straight from the bottle rather than using a glass as he usually did. He wasn't drinking for taste, he was drinking to get drunk so that he could retreat within his vessel and fade out to a meditation-like state similar to sleep until his body returned to normal and the blood was out of his system. Halfway through the bottle, he made himself stop and blink a few times to see what stage of intoxication he'd reached. With the human blood still in him, it made it easier to get drunk and he was right on the verge of being hammered. He set the bottle back down, knocking the clock off of the table in the process but not even noticing.

"Bed…" he mumbled, trying to make himself get out of the chair but unable to find the motivation to move just yet.

His brows furrowed as he heard a slight chuckle from a corner of the room by the big windows. He blinked hard a few times to focus his sight, now fearing he'd made a terrible mistake and trying to get drunk. How would he possibly defend himself in a fight like this? Angel blade in hand, he turned to see who it was. Hardly half a second passed before the blade dropped from his hand in pure shock, jaw dropping as well as he stared. This was the absolute last person, or demon, he ever imagined he'd see again in this life. Part of him wondered if this wasn't a hallucination from the mix of human blood, an obscene amount of scotch, and having been thinking about her when he shot up. He watched her smirk at him as she placed her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen…right, King?" she taunted, still smirking.

"M..Meg?..." was all he managed to stammer out.

****( Another bombshell dropped. Hope you guys liked it. Leave me a review on your way out. Thanks for reading!)****


	15. To Bring You My Love

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Abbie The Other Queen: **Ahaha! I rendered you speechless! *evil cackling off in the distance* Ahem. Sorry. Sometimes Lucifer just works right through me, I swear. Anywho, thank you for calling me awesome, it has made my entire day. I'm glad you loved the twist so much. Here we watch the chaos build. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_Climbed over mountains_

_ Travelled the sea_

_ Cast down off Heaven_

_ Cast down on my knees_

_ I've laid with the Devil_

_ Cursed God above_

_ Forsaken Heaven_

_ To bring you my love…" – To Bring You My Love by PJ Harvey_

Chapter 15: To Bring You My Love

"Am I all in your head?...Oh, I wish." Stated Meg, narrowed gaze on the intoxicated King as he stared. She watched him blink a few times, probably trying to will himself sober.

Unable to hold back the urge itching at the surface, he had to know for sure that she was real. Simultaneously, he was also desperate to have her in his arms. He could usually hide the humanity the blood forced in him but not when he was still stoned. It was practically impossible at that point. He got out of his seat and miraculously managed to move over to her without stumbling and falling.

Arms reached around to try and hug her to him then she grabbed him by the front of his wrinkled shirt, one hand gripped the fabric, the other moved to his neck and she swiftly turned. Using enough force to break the glass but not enough to shove him out, she slammed him against the window, still holding onto his shirt and neck as she leaned in. Placing her face hardly an inch from his before speaking.

"I should drop you. Might not kill you but it would at least wreck that handsome meatsuit of yours that you're so fond of." She said lowly, anger in her tone. He had to blink a few times, almost having blacked out from the back of his head and his shoulders being what broke the glass. Well, he'd gotten the knowledge he'd wanted. She was certainly real and certainly here.

"Meg…I'm sorry…" he slurred the words gruffly, partly wishing she would drop him just to see if that would kill him. The determination he'd felt to be around and coherent for the boys had vanished at the sight of her and the anger in her eyes. At the knowledge that she hadn't forgiven him for what he'd done to her, that she probably wouldn't. He was the one with humanity, after all, not her.

"You're not even worth killing like this…pathetic." She retorted with an expression of disgust and, dare he think it, a hint of disappointment. She pulled his now stumbling form away from the busted window and shoved him back into his chair. As intoxicated as he was, he managed to get an arm around her when she wouldn't notice and pull her onto his lap. Earning himself wide eyes and then a glare, certain he was going to be paying this one back with his own blood.

"Please, Meg, I'm not the same. Please just listen to me." He pleaded, speech still slurred.

"No shit. You're a sap. Like I said a moment ago; pathetic. How can you even look at yourself in the mirror? I know what you've been doing. Gathered the info all by my lonesome. Shooting up human blood? A junkie for feelings? You're a joke. More so than you used to be." She snapped at him but didn't move off his lap. Irritating herself. Had he been his normal self, she would've thrown him out the window. Be a shame to waste that meatsuit because, let's be honest, it was attractive, but that's what he deserved for what he'd done to her. However, seeing him like this, seeing him so broken and emotional, hearing him actually _plead_ with her with that pained look in his pretty greenish brown eyes…With an annoying tug in her gut, she knew it was going to take a lot, a _lot _of willpower to pull away from him and not try to comfort him.

"I can't look in the mirror…When I do, all I see is a monster…I can't justify my wrongs anymore. But my biggest regret was killing you." He confessed, not able to make himself meet her gaze. Afraid to see coldness and refusal to forgive in her eyes.

"Good. You should regret that shit. We'd say we were going to kill each other and play torture games but we were never supposed to actually fucking kill each other, you jackass. Do you know what Hell for demons is like? I'll give you the answer, it's fucking painful. Worse than anything we do to human souls." She explained, a slight shudder moving through her as her mind tried to replay the torment and she had to force the thoughts out, grateful for the blackouts in her memory that Metatron had put in place without her knowing so that she wouldn't be a raging basketcase. Speaking of Metatron, she started to wonder about Crowley's next question before he even asked it.

"How did you come back, Meg? I don't understand…" he asked quietly, watching her face move into pure confusion as she tried desperately to remember.

"I…I don't know. But I'm here. That's all that I know. And I really wish I could kill you but goddammit you're too pathetic and disappointing right now for me to even attempt it." She snapped her last sentence to recover from being confused, partially lying. He finally looked up at her with dazed, sad eyes.

"I never meant to kill you. I was distracted, I was angry, and I just lashed out before I could stop myself…I-" he went to continue but was cut off by Meg putting her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, just shut your stupid fucking mouth. For once." She said, though her tone wasn't angry anymore, which started to make her angry with herself. Not for the first time in many years, she was thinking that this love/hate thing was overrated and stressful. Even through the haze of being drugged and drunk, he saw the change in her, he'd recognize it any time. Although she didn't use words, he knew she'd at least partly forgiven him or just put it in the past to let it go. That was just part of their cycle. Always had been.

"Whore." He muttered against her hand, a sigh of relief leaving his lips when he saw a smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

"Smarmy dick." She replied, moving her hand from his mouth and slapping him in the face once. Not necessarily hard but not a love tap, either. He blinked from the slap as a faint red handprint formed on the side of his face. Before she could move away, as he knew she'd try, he slipped his hand into her hair and forced her lips to meet his.

Meg's initial reaction was to tug away and slap him again, hard with intent of damage this time, but she couldn't seem to make her body move as her mind would order. One of her hands went to the side of his face while the other slipped into his hair, gripping it tightly and giving a single tug as she returned the kiss hungrily, her lips moving with his. She was too stubborn and too proud to ever openly admit that she'd forgiven him a long time ago, known he hadn't meant it and that it was by large part her fault for stabbing him while he was distracted. She was also too stubborn and proud to admit that while stuck in the pains of eternal torment from an existence of wrongs, that she'd called for him. Only him. Pleaded, desperate that he'd somehow hear her and come save her. That he was the only thing she thought about to try and ignore or endure the pain. Now that she had him here, that she was safe from the pain and here with her lips pressed to his, she found that no matter how hard the stubborn part of her mind tried, she couldn't pull away. His musky scent beneath the smell of scotch and sweat filled her nostrils and put her mind in a haze. A distant part of her mind that was still working brought forth the thought that blood might be his drug but he was hers.

Crowley moved his hands and slid them down her sides as he tilted his head a bit, deepening the kiss by slipping his tongue along her lips, a soft groan rising from his throat as he tasted her for the first time in a long time. Another groan left him when he felt her tug on his hair roughly in response as she let his tongue past her lips. It was familiar, pure, cut through the haze of his mind like a knife cuts butter. He didn't know it at the moment but she was keeping him grounded by pulling him into a different high, the one they'd always pulled each other into. She broke the kiss only to bite down on his lip, eyes going black as they locked onto his, possessiveness in her gaze. He pulled his lip from between her teeth and began nipping along her jawline and down to her neck as his hands pushed her leather jacket off and let it thump to the ground.

"You bastard…" she moaned the words, clawing down the back of his neck as far down as she could reach with his collar in the way. The tug in her gut from earlier was now a rolling ball of pure heat, a familiar heat that she knew only he could fix the way she liked. No one else ever quite could take care of that as well as him. Which also infuriated her since it made her want him, against every ounce of her stubborn and proud mind's protests. She felt one of his warm hands slide under her shirt as his sinful tongue traced a path up the side of her neck to stop and bite down hard on her earlobe, eliciting a loud groan from her and causing her hips to buck and grind down hard against him. Earning herself a ragged moan from him as the brief pressure and friction of her movement teased the hardened length trapped in his pants. Just as she began unbuttoning his shirt, his phone that was sitting on the table next to them started buzzing. She felt him groan in protest against her skin, ignoring the phone herself even as he blindly reached for it.

"Wait… boys…" he stammered through soft panting, hand finally finding the phone as she ripped his expensive shirt open the rest of the way.

"Tough shit, they can wait." She retorted, just as breathlessly, leaning in and now taking her turn to do the tormenting as her lips, teeth, and tongue attacked the flesh at his neck and collarbone. He'd already answered the phone when she did that and unfortunately the first thing that Dean heard from Crowley's end was a drawn out, ragged moan. Meg could hear the elder Winchester on the other end of the line and was curious but at this point not willing to stop.

"…..Obviously this is a bad time. Look, uh…get your shit together and get back here soon." Came Dean's voice, awkwardly, from the other end of the phone call. Crowley had leant his head back against the chair and away from the phone, trying to compose himself enough to speak.

"Right, yeah…bye, Dean." Replied Crowley in a distracted tone before ending the call, relieved it wasn't anything of dire importance. He let his phone drop where it hit the table then landed on the floor and grabbed hold of Meg's shirt, tugging until it tore open, revenge for ruining his shirt and soothing his lack of patience.

Xxxxxx

Dean set his phone down on the table and looked at his brother who was giving him a confused expression.

"What was that all about? He stoned on the blood again or something?" asked Sam, his bear paw hands immobile on the keyboard of his laptop.

"Uh, no. I don't think so, anyway. Just busy, distracted. Got snappy with me." Lied Dean, not willing to try and explain what he was sure was happening on the other end of the phone call, his imagination unfortunately running wild. Sam furrowed his brows at his brother, able to tell he was at least partially lying but deciding to not address it, it didn't matter.

"Alright. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Cas was here earlier, when you had just gone to bed. He'd been out looking for you since I couldn't find you. He wanted me to tell you he said 'hi'." Said Sam, attention returning to the screen in front of him.

"Cas was here? And he didn't come in to see me himself?" asked Dean, a bit snappily, suddenly angered at that.

"Yeah, Dean, he dropped everything to look for you. Said he had to get back to the Metatron issue right away. The guy's kinda busy these days, if you couldn't tell." Replied Sam, looking up as he defended the angel.

"When isn't he busy, Sam? Hm? There's always something, isn't there? Whether it's fighting a war in Heaven, finding purgatory, being brainwashed by another angel…" Dean rattled off, heaving a sigh afterwards.

"Give him a break, man. He's taken under a lot of responsibility. I don't blame him for not having time for social calls. It's not like we can go after Metatron ourselves, yet. I'd say he's doing us a favor."

"I don't like it. Every time Cas gets too close to a lot of power or a lot of responsibility, he screws up somehow. It's always a huge mistake that we can't fix. He becomes less and less like himself after every time. I hate to say it but it's true. You know it as well as I do." Argued Dean, placing his hands on his hips. Sam sighed and looked back at his brother.

"Dean, he's not running things all alone this time. He's got an army of angels on his side, which is way more help to him than we can be. If you're that worried, then we need to deal with Abaddon as soon as possible so that we can start helping Cas before things get too intense." Retorted Sam, using an 'I'm trying to reason with you' tone, trying to not let his brother frustrate him. Dean was quiet for a few moments then decided he didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"Whatever. Fine. I need a burger and a beer." Said Dean, turning and walking off to the kitchen.

Xxxxxx

Next to the now toppled over armchair, a trail of discarded clothing and a small knocked over table led to the bed. Following that trail, passing a dent in the wall and debris strewn on the floor from being swiped off a bookshelf, eventually to reach the bed that was now very disheveled to match the two lust hungry demons atop it.

Meg tugged on his hair for what was probably the hundredth time then rolled them over so she was on top, tired of being teased by Crowley, which was his intention with the teasing in the first place. Straddling him as she felt his hands slide up her thighs, leaving a trail of what felt like fire on her skin, she leaned down and bit his bottom lip almost hard enough to draw blood. His groan in reply was music to her ears and after the rough foreplay and undressing of each other, she reached down and grabbed his length, positioning herself then finally slipping down onto him slowly. Their relieved and ragged moans mingled and were probably heard two floors below their room.

Crowley moved his lips from hers and to her neck once more, nipping and licking the soft skin as his hands roamed her thighs and low back, teasing her pressure points as his hips moved up to meet the pace she set. He bit down hard on the space between her neck and shoulder when he felt her grab his hands and pin them above his head, the power struggle for dominance continuing as it always had. She groaned in response to the bite and her hips instinctively began moving faster, her nails digging into his palms.

"Fuck…" he muttered breathlessly, sure that she'd broken skin on his palms.

"Something wrong, baby?..." she taunted, fairly pathetically since she was just as breathless as he was. Not to mention a yelp actually leaving her lips when he bucked up particularly hard in response to her taunting. His weak chuckle kinda made her want to claw his face but she took out her aggression differently, simply starting to grind down and ride him harder. Aware that the downside of that would mean she was going to lose her ability to taunt due to constant moaning and a spinning head. His moans became more constant as well, not to mention louder, making Meg think she'd won. Except she always seemed to forget that Crowley simply didn't lose. He wouldn't be him if he lost.

Just as her grip slackened on his hands, he rolled them over and pinned her beneath him, holding both her wrists to the bed above her head with one of his hands. He watched her blink in surprise then try to muster an insult. Deciding he wouldn't let her have the chance, he started his own pace. Hips moving against hers not as fast but definitely harder, distantly noting that even though she was defiant and pissed about losing the power struggle, that her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Head almost pressed against hers, he locked their gazes.

"Something wrong, pet?..." he muttered, throwing her own taunting back at her. She tried to think of a snappy retort but just couldn't, instead growling at him as she slipped her hand back into his hair, tugging again. Her other hand moved to his back and sharply clawed down the skin, digging red trenches as she bucked her hips to meet his. Crowley smirked against her lips then nipped one as she tugged on his hair.

The bed creaked and groaned along with their mingled moans until they finally reached their ends. Meg releasing hard and crying out his name as she clawed his back again, pressing the side of her soft face against the scruffy bearded side of his. He didn't pull his head back or away, releasing with a ragged moan of her name then turning his head to press a surprisingly gentle kiss to her jawline.

Both covered in a sheen of sticky sweat, he moved to lay next to her then leaned in to rest his face against her neck, still making sure that she was really here. Even after all that. Meg returned her hand to his hair, allowing herself to savor this moment before going back to naturally insulting and fighting with him. She hooked her leg around his hip and pressed close to him, giving a soft sigh when she felt an arm snake around her to hold her close. He rarely ever did this and she realized with a slight sickening feel in her stomach that it was the blood he was a junkie for that was making him so compassionate right now. She appreciated how it made her feel but at the same time couldn't tell what was better. It felt wonderful to have him being so gentle and damn near loving yet at the same time, it scared her. She was used to the user, abuser, selfish and smug dick he always used to be. That was easier for her to deal with than this. All at once feeling that uncomfortable sensation in her gut that she couldn't quite name, she pulled away from him.

"The Winchesters don't call for no reason." She stated, doing what they always used to do and denying what they'd just done. That feeling in her gut twisted a bit when she could swear she saw a bit of hurt in his gaze but she ignored it.

"True." Was all he replied with, desperately wanting to kiss her but not wanting to make her anymore uncomfortable than she already seemed to be. She pulled away and moved off of the bed, dressing in a blink.

"Well? I'm sure they missed me." She blurted, waiting for him to get up and dress as well. He heaved an audible sigh and sat up, moving off of the bed and dressing fully in his wrinkled suit with a snap of fingers.

"Oh, I'm sure. By the way, you tell Moose or Squirrel that I'm using again and I'll be sure to show them those pictures of you I have saved on my phone for long lonely nights." He retorted, picking up his coat and sliding it on, smirking when he felt her glare. Maybe she was right. Acting like nothing had changed was a lot easier.

"Do it and I'll cut your dick off and choke you with those extra three inches, Leprechaun." She snapped right back, giving her own smirk.

"Oh, I love it when you flirt." He replied in a teasing purr, stepping over and setting hand on her shoulder before vanishing with her.

Xxxxxx

Castiel eyed his surroundings like a proper soldier, distantly feeling as though something was off but at the same time feeling confident in the few angels he'd brought with him. If a fight broke out, he was sure they would all be fine. Taking a few steps forward, into the open, he waited a while before speaking.

"Metatron! Honor our agreement. No tricks. Just talk." Barked Cas in his best impression of how bossy Dean gets. He knew it was risky meeting with his enemy like this but he wanted a diplomatic solution, he didn't want to have to shed more blood, kill more of his siblings.

Before he could calculate what was happening, several bursts of light took place and the angels he'd brought with him dropped to the ground, clearly dead. It couldn't have been other angels or even demons so he assumed it was spellwork, which meant Metatron was here or he taught one of his minions a nasty trick. Unsheathing his angel blade, his senses alert, he waited for the enemy to approach. An old, familiar look of confusion settled on his features when a woman's voice spoke.

"Hey there, angel." Greeted Abaddon, stepping out into the clearing with a sickening grin on her face.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Cas, grip tightening on his blade. Before she answered, he saw and heard people closing in and looked around the clearing to see demons and angels.

"Doing a favor, setting a trap." She answered, seeming far too pleased to tell him what this was. Realizing he was so outnumbered, he tried vanishing and found he couldn't. Looking up, alarmed, at the knight of hell.

"What have you done?..."

"Clever spellwork." She said as demons following her orders and angels working for Metatron closed in, taking his angel blade and grabbing hold of him.

"This was your trap? My angels will continue the fight. They have instructions if something were to ever happen to me."

"Oh, this isn't the trap, sweetie. You're the trap."

"For what?" he asked, somehow knowing the answer by the sick feeling in his gut before she even spoke.

"For the Winchesters." She stated, grin widened into a smirk.

****(I'm actually really really proud of this chapter. By the way, if you haven't noticed, almost every chapter has been named after a song that fit the chapter. I'm going to continue to do that except now I'll also quote lyrics at the beginning. Just to set the mood. I hope you guys liked it. Please leave me some reviews on your way out. Thanks for reading! )****


	16. Renegade

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Ally Likes To change pen names: **I think there might be two or three chapters that weren't song titles but that's it. From this point on, since I'm leaving song quotes, they'll all be song titles. I feel proud to have made you speechless. The tension will rise til explosion, as it always does. I like that you're typing a lot, the longer the review, the happier I am. Let the chaos rise. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Abbie The Other Queen: **yes, tension and chaos are rising. Gotta keep you guys in suspense, right? I'm happy to say Lucifer is in my head now, rather than Sam's. Haha. Don't worry, he's slowly taking over, I hope you're prepared. Thank you for your review, I look forward to the next.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **yeah, when I get a great idea like that, I usually can't get myself to stop writing, which is a good thing. I'm really glad you like how I brought Meg back and the shipping of them. I feel like a lot of people don't ship that and are against it so I'm super relieved you can see it how I see it. And I had to make Sam nicer, he's kinda been a dick lately on the show, especially concerning Crowley and I didn't like that, I like nice Sam. And Crowley is Crowley so we shall see. The boys will eventually find out Crowley is on blood again, haven't decided yet how that will go but I promise to make it entertaining. Workin my best for speedy updating. The faster reviews come in, usually the faster I update. Thank you for your review, I look forward to the next.

Twilight Zone

"_The jig is up, the noose is out_

_They finally found me_

_The renegade who had it made_

_Retrieved for a bounty_

_Never more to go astray_

_This will be the end today_

_Of the wanted man" – Renegade by Styx _

Chapter 16: Renegade

The two demons appeared in the woods, Crowley taking his hand off Meg's shoulder as she looked around with a confused expression. Not wanting to stop touching her at the moment but aware she'd find it weird if he didn't let go.

"Gee, they're really taking to being called Moose and Squirrel these days, huh?" she blurted, wondering where in the hell they were.

Crowley lifted one finger to indicate for her to have patience. Taking a few steps away from her, he reached for the handle of the storm drain-like entrance. Just as he'd suspected, it was locked. Waving his hand over it once, it unlocked and he pulled it open with a smile at her.

"Whores first." He stated. She laughed and shook her head as she stepped over.

"Then it would be me holding the door for you and you know it." She retorted, stepping inside anyway. Crowley chuckled and followed her in, pulling the heavy door shut behind them. Just as they neared the end of the stairs, Sam came round the corner, gun drawn. They watched his facial expressions move from aggression to shock to confusion.

"Ello, Moose." Greeted Crowley as Meg just grinned at the younger Winchester, watching him blink rapidly for a few moments.

"How…she… Crowley, what the hell is going on?" demanded Sam, lowering his gun but not letting go of it.

"Didn't you miss me, Sam? I missed you." Said Meg, taking a few steps from Crowley and looking around curiously.

"How are you here?" asked Sam again, in a more demanding tone this time. At this point, Crowley was inwardly kicking himself for not having really dwelt on that. How did she get here?

"Sam, relax. She's here, she's fine, she'll help." Said Crowley in a calming tone, hoping Sam would blindly trust him for now. Wanting to find out how Meg got here on his own, afraid of what he might find and how the boys might react. He was playing this one dangerously close to the chest and he knew it, but he couldn't help it.

"And what, you guys are just really great friends now?" asked Sam sarcastically, looking at both of them.

"Something like that." Replied Meg before Crowley could open his mouth, smiling.

"Where's Dean?" asked Crowley, changing the subject before Sam could delve into it anymore. Not liking the wary look on the big man's face.

"Yeah, where is the sexier brother?..." asked Meg, walking past Sam, relieved when he made no move on her. She glanced around the large, library-like room.

"He was getting himself something to eat. He'll be out in a minute." Answered Sam, a lingering look on Crowley before he turned and stepped into the next room. Crowley sighed and followed him, a little anxious about how this may go.

Dean rounded the corner just then, beer in hand, giving Crowley a greeting nod then halting his steps to stare at Meg.

"You're alive?..." he asked, thorough confusion on his face.

"Yeah, kinda old news, now, Dean. Went over it already. Miss me?" she asked, grinning at the elder Winchester as she sat down. He simply stared at her for a few moments then rounded on Crowley.

"What did you do? Did you bring her back? Why? Why'd she come here with you? I thought you hated each other." He rattled off, eyes on the King.

"Dean, relax. We did some catching up, decided there are bigger and better battles to fight than each other." Partially lied Crowley, raising brows at Dean.

"Okay, as hard as I find that to believe, still don't answer my question of how she's alive. Did you bring her back?" retorted Dean, looking even more wary of this whole situation than Sam was. Crowley opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Meg.

"No. I crawled out all by myself. Now can we get to more important matters, Deano?" answered Meg, knowing it was a lie as she couldn't remember herself how she got out but certainly not wanting to discuss it at the moment. By the feel of the glance Crowley gave her, she knew he could tell she was lying but was grateful when he said nothing about it.

"Like what? You came back just to fight two wars with us?" asked Dean, still skeptical despite the answers he'd gotten. Something just didn't feel right and he couldn't ignore the twisting in his gut. He took a seat across from Meg, glancing over once when his brother sat next to him.

"No. I could care less about what happens to Heaven. But that Abaddon…I hate her. Even more than I hate the Leprechaun here." She added, flashing Crowley a smug smirk that widened when he squinted at her before sitting down next to her.

"Adorable. I'm touched." Retorted Crowley, pure sarcasm and sass in his tone.

"Why do you hate her? She's right on Lucifer's side, isn't she?" asked Sam, trying to put two and two together.

"Not really. That would be Cain. She is just a bitch. Acts like she's better than the rest of us when she's just a glorified soldier. She has even less right to rule Hell than Crowley does. From what I've gathered, she's throwing it all into chaos. I don't like it." Answered Meg.

"You're getting sentimental about Hell?" asked Dean, quirking a brow.

"What can I say, Deano? It's my home." Retorted Meg, giving him a slight smile.

"I guess. Just never heard someone be so lovey dovey about Hell. Look, I - ….Crowley, what the hell happened to your neck? You stroll into a nest of demons again?" trailed off Dean, distracted from his train of thought when he saw what appeared to be deep scratch and bite marks on the side of the King's neck. Crowley's brows furrowed in confusion until he realized what Dean must be looking at. He cleared his throat and smirked at the hunter.

"That's one way of putting it." He retorted, distantly feeling Meg glaring at him.

"What? I… I think I'm gonna be sick…" blurted Dean, the realization hitting him that the two demons in front of him were probably fucking when he was on the phone with Crowley. Explaining almost everything.

"Oh… Oh! Ugh… " said Sam, a pained look crossing his face as he realized the same thing. He cleared his throat a few times, trying to wipe the dirty expression off his features and the mental images out of his head.

"Rude. Am I not allowed to have fun?" asked Crowley, amused by the boys' reactions.

"No, you're not allowed to talk, there's a difference." Blurted Meg, turning a glare on Crowley. Dean waved his hand at them, looking away for a moment before returning his gaze to the two demons.

"Okay. No. Not allowed. Stop. Just hate each other again or pretend to. I can't cope with anything else. We never had this conversation, don't ever bring it up again. Let's just catch Meg up to speed with everything that's happened." Said Dean in a firm tone, like a parent laying down rules to his children.

"I…strongly second all of that." Said Sam, giving a firm nod before looking at the two demons again.

"We do hate each other, Deano. There's no pretending about it." Retorted Meg in a snappy tone. Crowley, who wouldn't have been bothered by that had he been his normal self and not on blood, felt a sickening twist in his gut at Meg's retort. He'd almost admit that it "hurt his feelings" but just that thought made him disgusted with himself so he simply tightened his jaw and swallowed it all down.

"Haven't you ever had a hatefuck with someone, boys? Not uncommon." He made himself say, relieved when his tone of voice was its usual sassiness.

"Seriously, we are not talking about this." Said Sam, the uncomfortable look on his face mirroring the one on Dean's.

"Meg. Pay attention. I'm gonna go through all this real quick. Alright?" asked Dean, moving the conversation along to get it out of awkward waters. Meg rolled her eyes slightly then leaned forward, her chin resting on her hand, mockingly giving Dean her entire attention.

"Mmhm. Go ahead." She stated, smirking a little when Dean gave her a dirty look before speaking again.

"Alright. Abaddon is trying to take over Hell. I have the mark of Cain, Crowley has the first blade, only I can kill Abaddon. Metatron has cast all the angels out of Heaven yet he somehow has angels following him. He's pretending to be the new God, which I think we both know how well that works out. Cas is organizing against him. Basically, we're on the eve of world war three and have no idea how to go forward. Got it?" asked Dean after his summary of explanation. Meg blankly stared and blinked at him for a few moments before responding.

"You have the mark?..." she asked in a hushed, almost awed tone.

"Out of everything I just explained to you, that's what you're asking about?" blurted Dean, staring at her.

"She is a lowly demon who grew up on stories of Cain…" said Crowley, raising his brows at Meg who shot him a dirty look.

"I guess I'm just a bit shocked. I mean…Dean Winchester, righteous man, co-savior of earth, getting marked by the father of murder. I thought the dark stuff was Sam's thing." Replied Meg, glancing at Sam who looked away for a moment then looking back at Dean.

"I get it. This is supposed to turn me into a big bad. It's not gonna happen. Don't worry about it. Now, you got any ideas how to trick Abaddon into a trap? Cause we gotta deal with her first otherwise Crowley, here, can't help too much with Metatron." Said Dean, looking at Meg still who sighed and thought for a few moments.

"Bait." She blurted.

"What?" asked Sam, brows furrowed.

"Which one of you three does she want to get her claws on most?" she asked, looking at them. The brothers immediately turned and looked at Crowley whose eyes widened a bit and he even scooted his chair back somewhat.

"Absolutely not! Are you kidding? You know how many things can and likely will go wrong with that scenario?" blurted Crowley, looking at them all as though they were insane.

"No…Meg's right. If we plan this out right, nothing will go wrong." Said Sam slowly, wheels turning as his brain began to plot.

"What do you mean nothing will go wrong? Everything will! She wants me dead more than she wants anything else. She knows you boys can't get to her without my help." Retorted Crowley loudly, slightly panicked.

"All the more reason to do this. If we play our cards right, she won't think it's too good to be true. It's assumed that I'm on your side, Crowley, even if I don't like you. But Sam? It's not far fetched for Sam to want you dead. Or Meg, for that matter." Said Dean, earning himself a dirty look from Crowley.

"You can't be serious…" he blurted, not knowing what else to say at this. He felt terrifyingly helpless being offered up in such a manner. Meg noticed his reaction to this and almost winced as a pang of guilt twisted in her gut at bringing this up. She knew the boys were too invested in the plan now for them to throw it away.

"Crowley, relax. It's not like we haven't gone up against stuff like this before. You'll be fine. As long as you give me the blade and play it out right, we've got the bitch." Replied Dean, looking at the clearly distraught king.

"I've got it. I can get in touch with one of Abaddon's goons. Say I want to meet her, that I have something for her. I can pretend I want to make a deal, offer up Crowley for her to leave me and Dean alone so that I can find a way to fix my brother in peace." Said Sam, acutely aware of the look Dean gave him at the last part.

"I don't know if that'll work." Said Dean.

"Oh, yeah. That'll work. That will definitely work. I'd take that deal in a heartbeat. And with the situation, knowing how much you two hate each other and how worried Sam should be about Dean, it'll sell." Said Meg, unaware of the changes between Sam and Crowley, which was probably a good thing at the moment. Hence why Crowley didn't try to correct her and was relieved when Sam didn't either.

"Then that's final. I'll go summon a crossroads demon, find out how to contact Abaddon, set up a meeting with her." Said Sam, standing up.

"Wow, wow, you're going alone?" asked Dean, also standing.

"Yeah, Dean, that's part of making this sell." Replied Sam, walking over and grabbing his coat, pulling it on.

"Meg, go with him." ordered Dean, looking at her.

"No." blurted Crowley, causing all three of them to look at him.

"Why the hell not?" asked Dean, getting suspicious again about how Meg was here.

"Because this is Sam's mission. Nothing's going to happen to him during this part. The delivering me is when you'll need Meg there, it would make sense then because it wouldn't be believed that Sam could trap me all by himself. You, obviously, would be there as well for the delivery but hanging back til the bitch rears her ugly head." Explained Crowley, leaving out that he himself was still suspicious about how Meg was back and didn't want to chance anything this soon.

"Dean, he's right, it's fine. I've got this. Relax, I'll be back soon." Said Sam, leaving the bunker before Dean could protest any more. The elder Winchester heaved a sigh and gave Crowley a dirty look. The king ignored the look and stood up with his own sigh, starting to wander around the room, gazing at the books on the shelves. Dean saw Meg's gaze follow Crowley and his brows furrowed before he picked up his beer and finished it.

"I need a stronger drink." He blurted, breaking the silence and moving to one of the bottles of whiskey, pouring some in a glass.

"I'll take one, too." Said Meg, smiling at the look Dean gave her before he filled a second glass.

"What about you, Crowley?" he asked then cleared his throat.

"Got Craig yet?" asked Crowley, not looking at them, still eyeing the books.

"No." answered Dean.

"Then no." replied Crowley, reaching up and grabbing a book, pulling it off of the shelf. Dean shook his head and brought one glass over to Meg, taking a drink of his own.

"You're a picky bastard." Said Dean before taking another drink. As always, he was soothed by the burn that made its way down his throat and into his belly. It always seemed to relieve the stress resting on his shoulders.

"I have taste. There's a difference." Retorted Crowley, moving to an armchair and sitting with the book he'd taken off the shelf, opening it and apparently beginning to read. He wasn't reading, he was simply appearing busy so that he could think without being interrupted.

He was unsure if it was the newfound humanity he was addicted to giving him anxiety or the knowledge of how easily Abaddon could snap him like a twig that made him so scared about this plan. His brain seemed to be working overtime with presenting every single way the scenario could go wrong. It wouldn't be the first time the boys had lost someone on a mission. He was feeling less and less invincible by the minute as he unwillingly went down the list of people important to the boys that they'd lost in a fight. Knowing he wasn't nearly as important to them as their father, Ellen, Jo, Bobby, Cas, or even that vampire Benny had been made him even more nervous. If even when trying their hardest, they could lose those people, where was the assurance that they would try harder for him? There wasn't. In all likelihood, this could be it for him. Unless they were wrong about Abaddon, somehow, and she wanted the boys badly enough to keep him alive until she got them. Even if she did get her hands on him, he knew she wouldn't kill him quickly, she hated him too much. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Meg's voice.

"Hey! Earth to Crowley…" she said for the fifth time, both her and Dean staring at him. He rolled his eyes and gave them an annoyed look.

"What?" he snapped at them.

"So, you've really lost the loyalty of your precious crossroads demons, huh?" she asked, a mocking tone to her voice, just trying to rile him up. Dean sighed and shook his head.

"Well, Meg, they're all a little confused, scared, and unsure as to who's in charge so they're waiting to see who wins the fight." He retorted in a snippy tone.

"Sounds like you're just failing." She stated with a nod.

"Okay, if you two are just gonna argue, I'm going elsewhere. Have fun, let me know when Sammy gets back." Said Dean, walking out of the room to go to his own and probably listen to some music to soothe his nerves. The two demons watched him go then Crowley slammed his book shut, swiftly standing up to go put it away.

"You are going to give me some answers. Right now." He stated in a low tone so Dean wouldn't hear them from down the hall.

"Excuse you? You ain't my king, Crowley, you never will be." She snapped back, gaze narrowing at him as he made his way over towards her.

"How in the hell did you get here? And don't you tell me a lie, I'll know. Who brought you back?" he demanded, hearing music start playing from down the hall, meaning Dean was thoroughly distracted.

"Know what? Screw you." She snarled at him, not liking being treated like this about it, mainly because she was upset that she didn't know herself how she got back.

"You're gonna tell me, Meg." He growled at her, finger settling under her chin and bringing her gaze firmly up to his. She slapped his hand away and stood up, giving him a shove.

"You're gonna fuck off before I kick your ass."

"Oh, really? That's the game you want to play with me?" he asked in a low tone that suggested he was not messing around at all, a tone she was used to. He stepped towards her again and grabbed the front of her jacket, tugging her closer so he was in her face, jaw set, eyes narrowed. The look she gave him mirrored his own.

"Yeah, that's the game I wanna play." She snapped back, waving her hand at him and making him stumble back into a table, nearly toppling over it. Neither of them were really paying attention to the possibility of one of the boys walking in at this point, both their tempers were rising to dangerous levels. They'd always been the best at pissing each other off.

"Then you're gonna fucking lose." He retorted, moving away from the table and swiftly grabbing her, slamming her into the bookshelf lined wall and pinning her there. She tried to use her powers to force him away and growled in annoyance when it didn't work, hands then moving to try and grab his throat. Which also failed when he snatched her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head against the books.

"Like always." He added through grit teeth, starting to calm down, the anger fading to controllable as it usually did when they were this close to each other. She glared at him for a few moments then sighed in irritation when she realized her anger was fading as well from him being damn near pressed against her.

"If I knew, I would've fucking told you. Okay? I don't know, Crowley. I don't know why I'm here again or how, I just know I'm really fucking grateful for it." She finally answered, looking straight at him. Though she tried her best to pretend it wasn't happening, she grudgingly admitted to herself that it was painfully arousing to have him dominantly pinning her like this. She distantly wondered if he did it purely out of anger or deliberately to arouse her.

He stared into her eyes for a few moments, deducing whether or not she was lying. When he decided that she was telling him the truth, he found the sincerity in her words upsetting him. The afterlife meant for their kind must really be the worst hell in existence by the look on her face. Before he really knew what he was doing, Crowley leaned in and pressed his lips softly to hers. Her eyes widened then she closed them and returned the kiss, pushing her lips back against his and stopping fighting the grip he had on her wrists. Feeling her resistance to his grip slacken, he let go of her wrists, deepening the kiss when he felt her hands slip into his hair as soon as they were free. He moved closer to her, pressing his body to hers against the shelf, distantly noticing that she was damn near desperately clinging to him.

Just as Meg moaned softly against Crowley's lips, they heard the bunker door open and the tell-tale sound of Sam's big feet stomping down the stairs. Hurriedly breaking the kiss, Crowley cleared his throat, stifling the urge to kiss her again when he saw the flustered look on her face. She cleared her throat in return and gave him a gentle push so he'd move away and she could collect herself. Once she had her personal space back, she found she could slip back into her usual self, noticing him do the same thing. One of his hands smoothed his tie as Sam stepped into the room.

"Well, Moose?" asked Crowley, brows raised.

"It's all set. Word got to Abaddon and we're meeting her in just a few hours. Where's Dean? You two need to go get the blade." Said Sam, taking his coat off and hanging it up.

"Dean's in his room pretending to be a rockstar." Said Meg, moving to sit down, placing her boot clad feet up on the table.

"Some things never change." Joked Sam, actually smiling as he went down the hall to get his brother.

****( Okay, moving right along. Hope you guys are enjoying this. Please leave me a review on your way out. Thank you for reading. )** **


	17. Nightmare

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Allison Jalexa: **I threw in the Leprechaun line to bring back what was said in Season 6 about how the other demons call him Lucky The leprechaun behind his back. I have imagined them together ever since that season, they just have chemistry. Thank you! I'm so glad you think this is amazing, I love long reviews so keep it up! Thank you for your review, I look forward to the next.

**Abbie the other queen: **glad you thought it awesome. Also really glad you're liking Meg/Crowley. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **glad you loved it. I am SO relieved that you think the emotional Crowley thing is going well, I'm just going off of what I've gotten from the show, it's partly why I liked the Blade Runners episode so much, it showed all that of him that we don't really get to see other times. Honestly, it just flows out, he's my favorite and I feel like I know him so well. I type it once and it usually sticks, it's actually action scenes that I go back, delete, add to, mess around with. And I have no idea, most of the fandom doesn't seem to consider them shipped together so they don't really have a name. Thank you for your review, I look forward to the next.

Twilight Zone

"_You should have known_

_The price of evil_

_And it hurts to know_

_That you belong here, yeah_

_No one to call_

_Everybody to fear_

_Your tragic fate is looking so clear, yeah_

_Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare" – Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold _

Chapter 17: Nightmare

Things had changed, as Sam knew and feared. Instead of head banging to the classic rock playing on his radio, Dean was simply laying there as it played with an expressionless face. Sam walked over and turned the music off, watching his brother sit up and not give him a dirty look for doing so, which was a scary first.

"What's the news?" asked Dean, cracking his neck.

"All set. Abaddon's falling for it, or at least it seems she is. We meet her in a few hours. Which means you and Crowley need to go get the blade." Explained Sam, leaning against the wall and watching his brother with a concerned expression.

"Good. Him and I will go right now." Replied Dean, getting up and moving out of the room. Sam followed him out and grabbed his arm to stop him for a moment.

"Hey. Do you want me to go with you? Just in case?" asked Sam, his nervousness showing. Not liking the idea of his brother, who seemed to be a ticking time bomb, going off to get their nuclear weapon with the King of Hell.

"To what? Hold my hand when I cross the street? We'll be fine, Sam, relax." Said Dean, pulling out of his brother's grip and walking down the hall. Sam sighed and followed him back into the main room where an awkward silence was taking place between the two demons they'd left there.

"Alright, Crowley, let's go get the toy." Said Dean, breaking the silence, which both demons seemed grateful for. Crowley walked towards the bunker exit without a word, heading outside and waiting for Dean who swiftly followed before his brother or Meg could put forth anymore protests. Once Dean shut and locked the bunker door, he turned to Crowley.

"Not taking your beloved car?" asked Crowley, brows raised.

"No, we're short on time and I don't know how far the blade is. Just zap us there." Retorted Dean, stepping closer so Crowley could set his hand on him and do just that.

"Would you like a kiss first?" asked the king with a sly smirk, causing the hunter to roll his eyes.

"Shut up and get us there." Snapped Dean, causing Crowley to chuckle as he set his hand on Dean's shoulder and they swiftly disappeared. Everything blacking out for the duration of a blink, Dean shook his head to steady himself when the appeared in a graveyard. Crowley took his hand off the hunter and began walking towards the hiding spot he'd chosen.

"Come along, Dean. We don't have all night." He blurted, smiling when he heard Dean following him. They walked for a few minutes until Crowley stopped at a random grave. With a wave of his hand, the stone slab on top moved off, baring the coffin beneath. The king waved his hand again and the coffin opened with an ominous creaking protesting against such.

"There?" asked Dean, brows furrowed as he looked in at the corpse that was in the first stages of decomposition.

"Mhm. Cut the body open and get it out." Instructed Crowley, speaking as though they were making dinner plans that didn't particularly require his entire attention.

"What? You cut it open and dig it out!" blurted Dean, giving him a grossed out look, knowing exactly how bad that body was going to stink. He wouldn't be able to get the stench off until he showered, which he didn't know when he'd get the chance next.

"I'm not stickin my hand in there. It's your blade, technically, you get it."

"You telling me you can't just wave your hand again and make it come out without a stinky mess? Seriously?"

"Well, if you're- " began Crowley, then shutting up as they heard a loud howl that could only be attributed to one sort of hound, a hellhound. Dean gave the king a startled, honestly frightened look. Hounds were one of the few things that did still scare him, first hand experiences with them tending to leave lifelong lasting scars. His expression changed to annoyance and anger, as though it was Crowley's fault, which, it was.

"Son of a-" began Dean, who was then tackled to the ground by the beast that he couldn't quite see, hitting the hard dirt with a thud and a grunt as the air whooshed out of his lungs. He reached for his demon knife as the stinky breath wafted across his face, surprised the thing's claws hadn't started slashing him to bits yet. Before he could manage to harm the thing, Crowley spoke up, shouting at the beast as though it was a misbehaving puppy.

"No, Juliet, bad!" he barked at the hound, who, to Dean's astonishment, moved off of him with a whimper, seeming to cower from Crowley. The hunter could swear he could clearly imagine the thing with its ears back, tail between its legs, looking like a guilty, demented guard dog.

"Sit! Stay!" ordered Crowley in an alarmingly stern, 'daddy's pissed off' tone. Dean saw the grass sink in as the beast sat down with another whimper, he turned and gave the king a flabbergasted look.

"Seriously?..." he blurted.

"She thought you were an intruder. Of course I wouldn't leave the blade unprotected, no matter how well I hid it. You're welcome. Now dig it out." Retorted Crowley, stepping past Dean to the whimpering hound. The hunter rolled to his feet and sighed before changing his grip on his knife and moving to the dead body, slicing it open and grimacing at the putrid stench before he began digging in the chest cavity for the First Blade.

"You seriously couldn't hide it anywhere else?" asked Dean, glancing over to see Crowley petting the hound like it was a regular dog. Except for the fact that it's head appeared to be level with Crowley's chest.

"You're a good girl, yes you are, Papa loves you…" Crowley cooed to the hound, ignoring Dean's complaining as he scratched under the beast's chin, its large tail wagging in response as it got babied by its master. Dean shook his head then his eyes widened as he felt the familiar handle of the bone, the slight burn of the mark on his arm confirming that it was the blade. Gripping it tightly, he yanked it out of the body and stood up.

Crowley looked over, his hand no longer petting the hellhound as he eyed the difference in Dean now that the blade was in his possession. He could see the twisting it was doing to the man's soul and the power it gave him. In all honesty, it gave him a lot of mixed feelings. A sense of safety yet a lingering twinge of fear being the main ones. Clearing his throat, he patted his hound on the head then stepped towards Dean.

"Give me that." He stated, looking at the hunter. Dean didn't respond for a few moments, only tightly gripped the blade then looked at Crowley. He didn't even hear the king's words, everything was drowned out, feeling like adrenaline was pounding through him at inhuman rates. All he could focus on was the power, strength, the desperate and aching hunger to slice something or someone open. To feel it splitting skin, hear the blood splatter, watch life drain out of someone's eyes.

"What?" he asked in a very distracted tone, voice rough but quiet, his gaze had gone from Crowley back to the weapon in his own hand.

"Dean, give me the blade." Said Crowley slowly and louder than he normally spoke, that itching fear shivering its way up his spine as his gaze remained firmly on the hunter.

"No." answered Dean, suddenly snapping from his trance when he looked at the king again. He pulled a rag out of his pocket and wrapped the blade in it slowly. Crowley watched him do so then hesitantly stepped over to him, keeping enough distance to dodge a sudden attack.

"I'm not going to take it and run again, you know. We're on the same side, Dean, we established this already." He said cautiously, watching the man for a possible outburst. The hunter saw how he was being watched and a sick feeling tugged at his gut, a voice in the back of his mind telling him he was getting out of control. He ignored it, his green gaze still on the king.

"Just get us back to the bunker, Crowley." Retorted Dean, tightly gripping the wrapped blade and refusing to let his mind wander onto the topic of the mark. Crowley shook his head slightly then gave a sigh as he set his hand on Dean's shoulder. They vanished from the graveyard and reappeared outside the bunker entrance in the blink of an eye.

Crowley stared at him for a few moments after removing his hand then silently walked to the bunker door, waiting for Dean to open it. A feeling was nagging at his gut, a feeling that perhaps even things he considered simple legends might be true. He watched the hunter unlock then open the bunker door, stepping inside behind him.

Xxxxxx

After sitting in silence for a moment once Dean and Crowley had left, Sam looked over at Meg, his curiosity starting to get the better of him.

"As much as this topic kinda freaks me out…" he began then stopped when she heaved a sigh and looked back over at him.

"Why do you care?" she asked, lazily lounging in the armchair that Crowley had been in earlier. Meg didn't particularly want to move into this topic of conversation but at the same time, liked Sam enough to answer his questions. Most of them, anyway.

"Because the last time I saw you he killed you. You hated him, with a burning passion. I just don't understand. I thought you had a thing for Cas." Said Sam, brows furrowed at her. Distantly wondering if she'd give him any real answers, he poured some scotch in two glasses and walked one over to her. She took it with a raised brow.

"Well, it's a really long story. Don't think you have enough time to get me drunk and get the dirty details." She replied, giving him a sly grin before taking a drink. He almost chuckled, sitting down across from her.

"You could start the story, or give me the summarized version."

"Once upon a time, we were trying our very hardest to kill each other, Sammy. Now look at us. Talking like civilized sociopaths."

"Gonna tell me the story or not?" he asked, not wanting to revisit that part of his own past.

"Yellow Eyes made me, you know that. I've been around a decent amount of time. When a demon is made, we're left to our own devices once sent out of Hell. Which is how a lot of us get killed. A newborn demon is kinda like a newborn vampire, not a lot of sense yet, mostly compulsive." She started to explain, vaguely realizing she'd only ever had a conversation like this with one other person.

"Wild." Said Sam, a curious and attentive look on his face.

"Yep. The ones who don't get killed during that period were either in Hell long enough to learn, got really lucky, or had another demon watching over them."

"Yellow Eyes watched you?"

"No. Demon fathers aren't the same as human fathers, Sammy. I was going off the rails. Newborn demons have trouble dealing with urges. We get urges to be violent, and, since we're sinful and all, urges of lust. Young ones can't control them and attack whoever's near. Easy way for hunters to trap and exorcise. That's what almost happened to me, hardly a week after I'd been sent up from Hell."

"How'd you avoid it?" he asked, taking a drink and sitting back.

"The hunters trapped me in this abandoned, half busted down barn in the middle of nowhere. They were halfway through an exorcism, which, if you didn't know, hurts a lot. We don't scream just because we're scared of going back to Hell. Anyway, neither me or the hunters realized that the barn was right next to a crossroads." She said, a smile starting to spread on her face as she remembered the night.

"Crowley was there?"

"Apparently, my screaming interrupted a deal he had nearly sealed. Which pissed him off so he strolled into the barn to check it out, killed the hunters to take out his frustration."

"Just like that? Just saved you?"

"Kinda. He was going to kill me, too, until he realized I was one of those young ones. Instead of taking a turn torturing me himself, he broke the devil's trap and let me out. Decided to take me under his watch." She replied, still smiling, remembering how great he looked, how despite everything she couldn't stop staring at him that night.

"Why?" asked Sam, confused.

"Honestly? I don't know. Back then, I'd have said it was just so I could be his new lover, which is what we became. Nowadays, I still don't know. I'd almost say he cared. He seems to be doing a lot of that these days."

"Yeah, he does. So, what, he was like your new boss?"

"No, not at all. Kept a watch on me until I was out of my wild, newborn stage. During which, he taught me stuff about avoiding hunters and provided alarmingly great sex as an outlet for the violent and lustful urges. After that, we slipped into a cycle we've never gotten out of." She explained, hardly believing she was admitting all this.

"Which is?" asked Sam, keeping his face curious.

"A vicious little love/hate cycle. No one can quite piss me off the way he does, I seem to have the same effect on him. We go back and forth between sex and pretending we're going to kill each other, which just ends up being nasty fistfights and torture turns. Well, til he fucked up and actually did kill me that night."

"Sounds really healthy." Replied Sam, brows raised and finishing his whiskey.

"Thanks, shrink. Don't worry about it, it won't interfere with the war at hand." She stated, finishing her own then sighing and glancing at the clock. Sam distantly thought that this sounded less like average love/hate and more like a demon's version of a love story.

Before he could open his mouth and reply to her, they both turned at the sound of the bunker door opening. Sam got up out of his seat, noticing Meg follow him as they went to meet the other two. Dean seemed more awake and alert than he had been and less irritated, Sam realized with a sinking feeling that it was probably because the blade was wrapped up but in his hand. Crowley, on the other hand, was unreadable. Not because he seemed unaffected but because he appeared overwhelmed by too many different things to start naming them.

"You got it, then." Said Sam, not entirely okay with this but going along with it.

"Yep. Let's gear up and set our trap." Replied Dean, walking past him and grabbing a bag, beginning to fill it with supplies.

No one spoke during this process. Dean seemed to be the only one entirely sure of anything at all. He was the only one who didn't feel any sort of complication. He was on his way to another fight, what he was best at, on his way to kill. It gave him a meditative-like state of calm and clarity. No worries clouded his mind, no anxiety twisted his gut, no mixed emotions flustered him.

Sam, on the other hand, managed to appear calm as a thrashing storm raged within him. To his very core he felt it was a terrible idea to have Dean with the blade. He knew well from his own experience that nothing from Hell affecting either of them ever ended up being a good thing. There was always some sort of price to pay that didn't rear its ugly head until long after it was too late to change it. The only thing Sam was sure of was that this was a good plan. The trap, the trick. He didn't like Dean with the blade but he knew his brother could get the job done if everything went exactly how they'd planned out.

Meg watched them pack with her own dilemma twisting around in her gut. Not knowing Abaddon personally, just knowing stories of her as a knight of hell, she felt confident in the plan. If all that was true about her, if she was more brawn than brain, then this should be no problem. At the same time, something weighed heavily against her chest. This foreboding feeling that something was wrong. It didn't help that she still didn't know how or why she was back, that just made her more worried. As the minutes passed, she found herself less and less comfortable about having to watch Crowley be dangled as bait. She stayed silent, though. Either from pride or from knowing the boys wouldn't listen at this point.

Crowley did his very best to drink as much of the boys' scotch as he could when they weren't paying him any attention. Trying to convince himself that the next glass would calm him, that just one more drink would settle his nerves. He knew it wouldn't, though. He'd have to go through a dozen bottles to start getting drunk enough for that to happen. Absolutely nothing was going to go right. He just knew it wouldn't. Yes, Abaddon was dumb and eager enough to fall for this but something was going to go wrong and screw it all up. He was utterly convinced he was going to regret ever having agreed to this. To top that off, he was worried Dean might go off the rails. If that happened, he might turn on Crowley. If he didn't do that, Sam probably would because the Moose still considered the entire thing the king's fault. The only person he felt he could trust to not try to kill him, ironically enough, was Meg. Then again, who knew how or why she was back? That bothered him almost as much as this plan did.

No words passing, they exited the bunker in a deafening silence. Before they could get in the Impala, however, Sam and Dean gave each other a look then moved quickly. Sam grabbed Crowley from behind and pinned his arms to his side just long enough for Dean to place the demon cuffs on him. Meg blinked and almost swung on one of the boys, hardly believing what they were doing. Crowley was so caught off guard that he didn't even try to react in time.

"What the hell is this?!" shouted Crowley, feeling Sam's huge arms release him, giving the cuffs a tug, a mix of outrage and fear on his face.

"Abaddon's not gonna believe me and Meg and could just walk you to her. If you're not clearly restrained, she'll know it's a trap. Besides, can't chance you bailing on us just cause you're nervous." Explained Sam, then opening the back door of the Impala for Crowley to get in. A few flashbacks of kidnapping him for the trials hit his mind but he pushed them away once he realized he was starting to feel guilty about this.

"Get in the goddamn car, Crowley, we don't have time for this." Barked Dean, getting in the driver's seat and ignoring the look the king was giving him. Meg stared at all three of them for a moment then realized, though she hated this fully now, that Dean was right. They were running out of time. She grabbed Crowley's cuffed arm and urged him into the car with a gentle push.

"Come on, nothing we can do about it." She stated, watching the look that he gave her, finding herself struck with the urge to hug him, seeing the expression of a frightened puppy on his face. He said nothing but finally got in the backseat of the Impala, not looking at Meg when she slipped in beside him.

The Impala roared to life and Dean peeled out of its parking space, the radio on low, some classic rock song playing as background noise. Silence settled in the car, both of the boys somewhat feeling the need to apologize but neither able to make themselves do so. Crowley stared straight ahead, watching the road, feeling like a man being led up the gallows to hang. He blinked when he felt a smaller hand slip into his and turned to look at Meg who wasn't looking at him but gave his hand a single reassuring squeeze. He kept looking at her and returned the single squeeze before moving his gaze back to the road.

The tense car ride passed with only the low sounds of the radio and the engine, seeming to last hours when it was hardly fifteen minutes. Stopping a mile from the meeting point, Sam and Dean got out of the car. The two demons watched them start talking as Dean unwrapped the blade.

"You're gonna be okay. You always are." Said Meg, quietly, feeling the need to say something to try and console him. He didn't say anything, simply turned to her and leaned in, pressing lips firmly to hers to silence her and because he really did feel as though he wasn't going to be okay. Meg's eyes closed and she let him quiet her worries, returning the kiss gratefully, though the desperation in his end of it scared her. They separated when the car door opened again and Sam got in the driver's seat. Crowley looked over to see Dean heading off to sneak around to a place where he could jump out when the fight they'd planned was to start.

The car began to move again but it was less than two minutes before it was parked once more, engine shut off and doors opened. Sam got out first then opened the door for Meg, no words passing but giving her and Crowley a look that clearly said it was time to play their parts. Meg and Sam pulled Crowley out of the car, who despite his fears, put on an angry expression and stubbornly tugged at being grabbed, glancing over to see two demons as well as Abaddon herself waiting in the middle of the clearing.

"I'd hoped you were going to make up for setting me on fire, Winchester." Said Abaddon, breaking the silence, tone gleeful and a smile on her face as she watched the two partially drag the king over towards her.

"I'm not doing this for you." Answered Sam stiffly, tone gruff, his hand tightly gripping Crowley by the back of his coat collar. Nervous butterflies scurried around in his gut but he felt as though things were going to work out just fine, just as long as they played this cool.

"This has to be some sort of sick joke, come on, Moose. You don't want this. You can't do this to me. Wouldn't you rather kill me yourself? This…you think she'll honestly leave you and Dean alone?!" ranted Crowley in a frantic tone that was so much acting as it was actual fear and anger, trying to legitimately tug from Sam's grasp.

"Do me a favor, Sam, shut him up." Said Abaddon, seeming immensely pleased to see Crowley in such a state.

"Didn't bring ductape, sorry." Retorted Sam, brows furrowing when she laughed.

"Oh, no, I mean give him a few good hits so he knows to shut up." She stated, a firm gaze on Sam, watching his and Meg's reactions. She didn't trust either of them, Crowley had worked with them too many times in the past. Seeing if Sam would actually beat the fallen king would be a large deciding factor on if this was a real deal.

Giving a brief sort nod, he knew exactly what she was doing. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to do something like this but knowing how agents of Hell worked, he realized he should've known better. No time to waste or risk losing the element of surprise, he avoided Crowley's gaze when the king turned to him. Guilt already settled in his gut, it took all his willpower to refrain from apologizing before swinging and clocking Crowley right on the jaw with all the strength he possessed. The engraved cuffs restraining the king's powers, he took the punch full on, sight blacking for the briefest moment as the force of it knocked his feet out from under him and he hit the ground hard. Meg resisted the urge to punch Sam in the ribs, doing her best to not look at Abaddon for fear of the knight seeing the hatred on her face. Mentally, Meg began willing Dean to hurry up and give them the signal to act, wondering what was taking him so long.

"Always entertaining to watch the mighty fall, don't you think, Crowley?" asked Abaddon, stepping over enough to stand over him but not close enough for Sam or Meg to be able to reach her.

Not too far from the spot where Dean was planning to give the signal to his brother, he heard the tell-tale flutter of wings as an angel appeared behind him. Turning swiftly, he saw it was Metatron, his grip tightened on the blade and he literally growled at the short angel, the back of his mind sounding an alarm that they'd walked into a trap. Every instinct told him to give Sam the retreat signal to haul ass outta there but the mark and his own fury was strongly urging him to cut the angel in two.

"You kill me, you won't ever see your angel lover again." Said Metatron, reading the look of aggression on Dean's face. A grin spread as he saw the aggression slip into confusion.

"What?" snapped the hunter, those words making him entirely forget the predicament Crowley, Meg, and his brother were currently in.

"Castiel? I have him. If you don't play by my rules, I can promise you that that dirty trenchcoat will be all that's left of him. I highly doubt God will bring him back this time."

"You son of a bitch…" growled Dean, he thought about Metatron's words for a moment then decided if the bastard was dead, that he could go get Cas himself. In one swift movement, he swung the blade at the angel. Before his arm had made a full swing, an invisible force sent him flying to the edge of the clearing where he hit the ground on his back, the air whooshing from his lungs.

Hardly half a minute before Dean was sent flying, Abaddon grabbed Crowley by the back of his coat collar and tugged him stumbling to his feet. Sam realizing that they had no more time to wait for Dean, made the decision that it was time to fall back and give up on this plan. He lunged forward with the demon blade and slammed it in up to the hilt in one of Abaddon's demons' chests. Crowley, seeing the younger Winchester move, turned and rammed his shoulder into Abaddon with all he had. Meg went into motion at the other demon, noticing Sam moving to help her and Crowley then freezing as he suddenly stopped.

"Dean!" shouted Sam, everything else dropping when he saw his brother go flying. He saw Metatron walk out and charged over, as though unaware he only had the demon blade on him.

"Be smarter than your brother, Sam." Said the short angel, walking towards them both. Sam was too angry to be smarter than Dean, swinging with his fist to give his brother time to get up.

"Sammy, don't!" called Dean just as Metatron sent his brother flying without even touching him. Meg watched this for a moment, staring at Metatron, feeling that she somehow knew him but wasn't certain. She snapped out of it when the corner of her eye caught Abaddon jamming an angel blade into Crowley's shoulder, hearing him cry out in pain. Before she could move at her, they simply vanished from sight. She felt like the entire world just dropped on her head in the blink of an eye. Crowley was gone. Abaddon had him.

"Dammit, boys." She growled, moving over and helping Sam up then grabbing the back of Dean's jacket as he moved at Metatron again. She tugged to stop his forward motion, causing both boys to look at her but she didn't notice. All she saw before vanishing into the Impala with them was the angel give her a knowing a smile and a wink that made her skin crawl.

Xxxxxx

Having had a hood placed over his head while hauled around, the next time Crowley was able to gather where he was, he found himself chained up. His coat and suit jacket were gone, the demon cuffs holding him had been attached to a hook from the ceiling, keeping him from being able to lash out or be remotely comfortable. His shirt had come untucked from being stretched like this and his shoulder was bleeding from the wound that was now placed at an angle irritating it. Blinking, the light dim from a single bulb in this basement-like room, his hood was pulled off and he found himself staring at a grinning Abaddon.

"I'm going to torture you in every way I know possible and once you're begging for death, I'll torture you some more. Over and over and over again. Mentally and physically. It's time someone showed you that you're no king. You're just my bitch." She said, slowly dragging one fingertip along his scruffy jawline as he glared at her.

"Blow me." He snapped at her, allowing anger to bury the fear for now. He sharply turned his head and bit at her finger, watching her quickly pull her hand away and give him a brief glare before laughing.

"No, thanks. I've got standards. Enjoy your thinking time and your cellmate. I'll be back for you soon, honey." She said, grinning at him then walking out of the room, slamming and locking the heavy door behind her. His brows furrowed at her words and he turned his head to see a very familiar angel in the exact same position next to him. Trench coat missing, white shirt open, blood staining his chest, cuffs with what were presumably angel markings attached to a hook from the ceiling, head hanging. If how Castiel looked was any sort of preview of what he himself was about to be subjected to, he thought he might actually try praying before this was over. If it would ever be over.

****( that was the longest chapter yet but it had to be, hope you guys liked it. Thanks for reading, please leave me a review on your way out)****


	18. Fix Me

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Lily: **glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_Crossing lines_

_Small crimes_

_Taking back what is mine_

_I'm fine in the fire_

_I feed on the friction_

_I'm right where I should be _

_Don't try and fix me." – Fix Me by 10 Years _

Chapter 18: Fix Me

"Cas…Castiel…" he stated, trying to wake him up, get his attention somehow. The dark haired angel's head raised slowly and he looked over, confusion in his pretty blue eyes as he saw who was now imprisoned in this little torture chamber with him.

"Crowley?..." he asked, unsure if he was really there or some trick was being played on him again.

"For the first time in a long time, you are a sight for sore eyes." Replied the demon with a slightly relieved sigh. Despite Cas being in the same position as him, he knew it was more likely he'd be able to escape with help from someone else, especially someone like Cas. A flicker of hope blossomed in his chest.

"Where…is Dean?" asked Cas, rough voice even rougher, as though he'd been doing a lot of screaming lately.

"On his way to get us right now." Replied Crowley without even having to think about it. Truth be told, he didn't know if the boys and Meg were still alive or not, but he wasn't going to let himself linger on that possibility at the moment. He wasn't sure if the boys would come for him but he knew they'd come for Castiel, they'd find out and come, they had to. As far as Meg, he was pretty sure she'd come for him. She tended to have the mindset that if anyone was going to torture him, it was going to be her.

"Okay…" Cas replied quietly, sounding at least a little relieved, clearly assuming the demon next to him had a plan of some sort. Crowley looked at him for a few moments, then they both turned their attention to the door as it opened.

Xxxxxx

Dean behind the wheel of the car, he punched the steering wheel once as the engine roared to mirror his anger. His green eyes were attentive on the road, almost swearing the mark on his arm was burning along with the fury in his chest.

"Dean, what'd he say?" asked Sam, knowing it had to have been something big if it distracted him from the plan so much.

"The son of a bitch has Cas." Growled Dean, earning a surprised look from Sam and Meg.

"Clarence?" blurted Meg, brows furrowed, brought out of her paralyzing worry for Crowley.

"Okay, Dean, calm down." Replied Sam, wracking his brain for a plan to find out where.

"He could be fucking dead for all we know, Sam. Or I fucked up and the bastard doesn't have him at all." Argued Dean, needing to have someone and something to vent his anger on.

"Yeah, well, as bad as that is, if you two didn't notice, that bitch has Crowley." Snapped Meg, glaring at them from the backseat.

Sam opened his mouth then closed it, Dean pretended to not have heard her, so Meg spoke again.

"You assholes, he trusted you, you promised him nothing would happen then offered him up like the main course of a feast. I should've made you take the fucking cuffs off of him the second you put them on." She growled at them, nails digging into the back of Sam's seat.

"I get it, alright? We fucked up. You do realize he's betrayed our trust more often than we've betrayed his, right? At least what happened here was an accident." Argued Dean, suddenly pulling over to the side of the road and parking the Impala.

"What are you doing?" asked Sam, brows furrowed. He watched his brother turn to look at Meg in the backseat who had a look of bloodlust on her face.

"Do you have anything other than you that he touched or maybe bled on or a hair landed on? Anything?" asked Dean, ignoring his brother, eyes on the demon in the backseat. Meg blinked and gave him a confused look.

"What? The fuck's that got to do with anything?"

"Answer the question or I swear to god I will slap the shit out of you." Snapped Dean, not having any patience at all. She glared at him again as she answered in a low, pissed off tone.

"Maybe my jacket when Sam hit him in the face. I was closer and blood splattered. I could smell it." She answered then stared as Dean got out of the car and opened the back door.

"Get out and give me your jacket." He ordered then walked to the back of the car, opening the trunk. Both Meg and Sam got out at this point and the demon watched the younger Winchester's eyes widen as he realized what his brother was going to try.

"Why?" asked Meg, watching Dean open a map and set it on the road, grabbing ingredients for a searching spell.

"Because I think it might be my size. I'm doing a goddamn spell, now give me your jacket." Retorted the elder Winchester as Sam began assisting him with setting up.

"You could've just fucking said that, jackass." Replied Meg, slipping her leather jacket off and handing it to him. He gave her a dirty look that she swiftly returned, Sam watching them with an amused and somewhat wary expression.

Xxxxxx

"You know what I love about emotional or mental torture?" asked Abaddon, walking towards the chained up angel and demon who both gave her looks of pure hatred.

"The looking in the mirror part?" snapped Crowley in his usual, insulting, sassy bastard tone. She turned her head, giving him her full attention as Castiel watched.

"It brings someone to their most vulnerable. Say they don't mind physical pain, you fuck up their feelings and their head, the physical pain will be a secondary weapon. It's one nice, vicious circle." She explained, then smirked as she held up a syringe full of a crimson substance that the sinking feeling in Crowley's gut told him was human blood.

"Going to torture me by giving me my narcotic of choice?" he asked as though it was an absurd plan, trying to hide the fear, somehow knowing it wouldn't make a difference. She was going to give it to him anyway.

"Just being a gracious hostess." She replied, still smirking as she set her hand on his head and pushed it to the side, jamming the needle in his neck as Sam had done during the trials, injecting the blood. He grit his teeth and stifled a groan at the sharp sting of the needle going in then closed his eyes, trying to will his body to fight the effects he'd be aching for any other time. He felt the needle be pulled from his neck, in a dazed high from the initial effects, not becoming aware of his situation again until he heard a cry of pain from Castiel. Forcing his eyes open, he turned and looked just as Abaddon pulled the angel blade away from Cas's chest, a new line of blood across the skin. Seeing Cas so broken like that, while currently high on blood, literally made his heart hurt.

"Leave him be." Slurred Crowley, giving her a look of pure hatred through dazed eyes.

"Defending an angel? What a traitorous king you are." She taunted, walking back over to Crowley. Cas looked over, staring, not understanding why Crowley was defending him. The more attention she'd give to Cas would mean the less attention Crowley had to deal with. The selfish bastard that Cas knew would welcome that happening, not save him from it.

"What did you give him?" asked Cas in a tired but curious tone.

"Oh, you didn't know about his little addiction? Crowley here is a human blood junkie. He's addicted to humanity." Explained Abaddon, head turned to look at Cas and grin at the surprise on his face.

"Am I the new toy you wanted or not, bitch?" blurted Crowley, tone still slurred but anger within it. She turned her gaze back to him and smirked.

"Tell me, salesman. How does it feel to know that no one is coming for you? You think Hell cares? You think the Winchesters care?" she asked, each question paining him worse than a jab with any blade. Hopelessness began to settle in, realizing she was right. Hell didn't care, it was just waiting to see who won this fight, it would be loyal to the victor. Sam and Dean had no reason to care, it would be seen as one less problem for them if she were to kill him. That left who?

"Fuck you." He retorted. Abaddon continued to smirk, knowing that she was getting through.

"I mean, let's go down the list. You fucked up being a father. You fucked up being King. You were even kidnapped by hunters. Now you can't function without taking a break to get stoned on blood. What good are you? The only thing you were ever good at was making deals. Being the scum of Hell." She rattled off, not even fully aware of how deeply her words were cutting him, just knowing that it was hurting.

"Stop it." Demanded Cas in a surprisingly strong tone for how weak and injured he was. The look on Crowley's face, despite their bad past and general dislike for each other, was getting to him. It was unnerving to see such a human expression on the King of Hell.

"Oh, Cas, I'm just getting started." She replied, grabbing the front of Crowley's shirt and tugging it open, busting all of the buttons.

"Sex with you would be torture." Blurted Crowley, tone still slurred but just a hint of that trolling sass in it. If he really thought about it, he'd know that just that moment of Cas sticking up for him gave him hope, will power, strength. It was a subconscious realization that someone did care, at least a little bit.

"Sorry, honey, I've got standards. You just don't even come close to meeting them." She said then dragged the tip of the angel blade down his chest. He cried out and tugged on the restraints holding him, teeth grit as he glared at her.

"Eat shit." He snapped at her in a growl, glaring.

"Is that any way to talk to your queen?" she asked, making another crimson line across his chest, watching his muscles clench and listening to his groan of pain.

"You're not fit to suck my cock, how could you possibly be my queen?" he retorted in another growled tone, smirking for the first time as he watched anger flash on her face. It was a small victory and it earned him a full stab in his already wounded shoulder, one that burned red hot like pure flames, but he was still proud of himself. She then stepped back and walked over to Cas, who also seemed stronger and more defiant, perhaps because he wasn't alone here anymore.

"Wonderful. Is it my turn already?" he asked in his rough voice. Crowley let his head hang a bit, looking over out of the corner of his eye. Seeing Cas apparently revived and still strong brought the hint of a smile to his lips, revived his own defiance. He had to look away, however, when she began working the angel with the blade again.

Xxxxxx

Spell done, the smoke drifting away as the fire faded out, Dean grabbed what was left of the map, looking at it closely.

"This isn't far. Assuming it worked and wasn't a fluke. Best lead we got. Let's go." He said, helping Sam put everything back in the trunk before going and getting in the driver's seat of the Impala. Meg simply vanished to the backseat as Sam got in the car. No sooner had the younger Winchester's door shut than did Dean peel out, the car racing down the dark road. Sam looked over at his brother, very aware of the change in him now that the first blade was in their possession. He was colder, more alert, and stronger. For better or worse, Sam didn't yet know.

"You think she'll have angels on guard?" asked Sam.

"I don't care what she has on guard." Replied Dean, earning himself a raised brow look from Meg.

"I guess we've fought worse. Hellhounds and a warehouse full of demons. Leviathan." Said Meg, pulling an angel blade from her leather jacket.

"Those things can be killed easier than Abaddon." Replied Sam, turning to look at the demon.

"That's what we have Deano for." She replied, smiling at Sam.

"Whatever else happens, that bitch dies tonight." Said Dean, turning down a different road.

"And Metatron?" asked Sam, starting to feel like his brother was a speeding freight train with no brakes.

"Tomorrow. They may have won the last few fights but we're gonna win the war." Declared Dean, sounding enormously like the late, great John Winchester.

"Abaddon, I think we can handle. Metatron, I'm not so sure." Said Meg, still wary from the feeling the bastard's look gave her.

"We'll handle him. Like you said, we've faced worse." Argued Dean.

"I was referring to whatever guards Abaddon has, not the new God." Meg snapped back at him.

"He is not the new God, he just thinks he is." Said Sam, stopping their arguing before it began.

The car finally went silent again and stayed that way, before too long, it was pulling into the driveway of an abandoned mental hospital. They sat and stared at it for a few moments, the boys knowing that demons were their biggest problem, possibly angels, but that in a place like this there was bound to be angry spirits as well. Getting out of the car, they went to the trunk, Dean gripped the blade while Sam gathered guns and the demon knife before shutting the trunk.

"Let's go crash her party." Said Dean, walking towards the doors.

"Wait a minute, chances are, she has him in the basement somewhere. The sublevel. Let's break in down there and then fight our way out going up. He can be helpful in a fight, Dean." Said Sam in a hushed tone. He watched his brother shrug then followed him down the side stairs to what was likely a janitor's entrance to the basement.

"Locked." He blurted then went to ram into the door. Meg rolled her eyes and waved her hand the door unlocking from the inside.

"Amateurs." She teased, walking past the boys and opening the door before stepping in slowly.

"I hate her." Said Dean, following her in, Sam right behind him. They let the door shut and listened to know which direction to go, hoping they'd hear screaming. Luckily, they did, though they weren't sure if it was Crowley's voice.

"Can't see shit in here…" mumbled Sam.

"Well, I can, so just follow me." Murmured Meg, making her way down the dark basement hallway, towards the sounds of pain. They did as she said, stopping only twice to silently eliminate a handful of demons guarding the area. Suddenly, Dean grabbed his brother and Meg, pulling them through an open door with him and hiding in the dark. He'd somehow sensed Abaddon before she'd even walked out of the room that Crowley was clearly in. She was covered in blood splatter, carrying a blood covered angel blade, and a smirk on her lips. The three of them, hidden, listened to her footsteps stop right by the door. Dean's grip on the blade tightened and he held his breath, not wanting the real fight to start until Crowley could help. He exhaled with a heavy sigh of relief when she shook her head then kept walking.

"We gotta move. Now. She'll find those bodies, she's not stupid." Stated Dean, peeking into the empty hallway before quickly moving out and to the door. Grateful it was unlocked, he pushed it open. A grimace covered his face before his eyes widened as he took in the sight. Both Crowley and Cas were hanging in the same position, shirts opened, chests caked in blood and what looked like cruelly deep cuts. Busted lips, bloodied noses, and Crowley appeared to be bleeding from the side of his head. Both of them were too weak to even look up when the door opened but Dean noticed how they both tensed, obviously assuming it was Abaddon back for more. Meg pushed past him as soon as she saw Crowley.

"Give me the key to those damn cuffs. Sam, come help me." She ordered, red hot rage boiling in her gut. She gripped the sides of Crowley's face and raised his head so he'd look at her, confusion covering his expression for a moment.

"Meg?..." he asked, tone gruffer than usual.

"Yeah, we're here, it's okay. We're gonna get those cuffs off you and then you can heal yourself." She explained as Sam stepped over next to her and reached up, pulling the cuffs off of the hook.

"Try to stand up." Said Sam, putting an arm around him anyway, certain his legs would just buckle, which they did. He handed Meg the key to the handcuffs and watched his brother pulling Cas down.

"Did you see where she put the key for this? Cas? Come on, man, look at me." Said Dean, tapping his cheek until the blue eyes focused on him.

"Her pocket…Dean, they're in her pocket." Was the angel's very rough voiced reply.

"Alright. I'll get you out of those as soon as I can." Said Dean, making sure none of the wounds on Cas's chest were bleeding too badly.

Crowley was fully leaning against Sam, completely relying on his support to not go crashing to the floor. His eyes tiredly watched Meg unlocking the handcuffs, feeling an almost overwhelming rush of strength when they were finally off of him. He closed his eyes and focused, healing the wounds on his chest, face, head, and the knife wound in his shoulder. Finally feeling his own legs under him, he straightened and stood up fully, one hand cautiously gripping Sam's arm.

"You alright? We don't have a lot of time." Said Sam, hand on Crowley's shoulder.

"She'll be back in here any minute. Does Dean have the blade?" asked Crowley, his tone and speech stronger. Sam's brows furrowed as he noticed the needle marks in his neck, just like the ones he gave the demon not too long ago.

"Yeah." Was his simple reply, feeling more than a little sympathy hit him as he realized Abaddon must have done more mental torturing than anything. Meg grabbed the front of Crowley's busted shirt and pulled him into a hug, feeling the blood stain her clothing.

"I really fucking hate you." She blurted by his ear as he let go of Sam and hugged back.

"Ditto, darling." He replied with a slight smile then pulled away. Dean stood up next to Cas and looked at them.

"Get him outta here. I'll kill her and get the key." Stated Dean.

"I'm not leaving you here, Dean." Argued Sam, immediately.

"I don't think it matters what either of you want." Said Cas lowly, looking at the knight of Hell standing in the doorway.

"Hello, boys." Said Abaddon, smiling at them to hide her anger at them finding her so fast. Without even realizing what he was doing, Crowley instinctively stepped partially in front of Meg, hate in his eyes.

"Excuse you, that's my line." He said, his chin raised and a bitter smirk on his face.

"Last time you said that to me, I kicked your teeth in. I guess you want to revisit that, huh?" she retorted, looking at Crowley for only a brief moment before her eyes returned to Dean, well aware of the blade in his hand and the look of murderous rage on his face.

"Actually, I'd rather watch Dean cut you in two." Said Crowley, trying to buy the boys some time to at least attempt to catch her off guard. Even outnumbering her, the element of surprise was out of their hands, which meant this was going to get nasty.

"Your prize fighter here isn't doing so well, is he? He loses himself in that donkey jaw. What's stopping him from slicing you apart once he's done with me? You know it's possible, you know it's likely." She said, eyes on Dean as she spoke.

"Now you're trying to get me on your side? You really are as dumb as you look. Not only would I not be stupid enough to go against the Winchesters, but I wouldn't ever, ever be your ally. No matter the situation." Retorted Crowley, distantly aware of Meg tensing up with the angel blade in her hand, wanting to strike.

"Why don't you fight me yourself, Crowley? A King should be able to defend his throne, right? Nearly every time we've met, you've been tied or chained up to be my punching bag."

"I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Sounds more like you're a pussy and not a king." She snapped back, Meg began looking around for some sort of leverage on her to do any sort of surprise attack. That is, until her heart dropped into her stomach as she saw the discarded syringes, looking and seeing the marks on Crowley's neck that solidified her suspicions.

"You bitch…" she blurted, looking directly at Abaddon. Earning herself slightly startled, briefly confused looks from Sam, Cas, and Crowley. Dean just continually glaring at Abaddon, murderous rage at the surface but his warrior instincts not letting him attack yet.

"Excuse yourself, whore. What are you gonna do about it? Yell at me?" replied Abaddon, brows furrowing when Meg gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Nice try, but only he gets to call me that." Said Meg, nodding at Crowley once.

"Cute. Demon love, adorable. I can't wait to torture you two in front of each other."

"Bitch, you gotta get through all of us for that to happen. I dare you to start with me." Threatened Meg, stepping around Crowley who visibly grit his teeth at the action, expecting her to get struck down at any moment, terrified of it.

"Meg…" said Sam warily.

"Shut up, Sammy." She replied, stepping close enough to Abaddon that she could strike if she wanted to, too angry to care how risky this was.

"Are you fucking all of them or just Crowley?" taunted Abaddon, one hand now gripping an angel blade as well.

"Oh, I'm not that lucky. Just Crowley. Though after this, an orgy might be in order. You know, to celebrate your death." Retorted Meg. Abaddon gave her a brief smirk then instead of raising her blade at her, she waved her hand and sent Meg across the room into Sam and a hardly standing Castiel. The three of them hit the ground hard and Dean charged at her, moving to strike. Crowley saw her raise her own blade and knew she'd get it into him before he could cut her, so with a flick of his wrist, he sent her blade flying out of her hand. She gave him a very brief glare before dodging Dean's strike and sending him against the wall, keeping him pinned.

"That all you got? What a pathetic king…" she taunted in a near snarl, hateful gaze on Crowley as Dean struggled against her hold.

"You know, I'm getting real tired of your shit." Snapped Crowley, waving both his hands and sending two tables at her from different directions. She dropped to dodge them so he slammed them down atop of her. He knew it was just going to piss her off, not do any real damage, but it felt good and was buying the boys time.

"You scum…" she snarled, getting to her feet and then sending Crowley crashing to the wall where she swiftly walked up and grabbed him by the throat. It had only been a second, a brief second of forgetting about holding Dean, but it was all the time needed. Just as she began squeezing on his throat, Dean rushed over in two long strides and jammed the blade up to the hilt in her back. Everyone's eyes closed at the bright flash except Crowley's. His jaw clenched, eyes squinted, he watched the shock hit her face, the fear, and then nothing as she was gone. Her grip on his throat slipped as she dropped to the ground, demons that had come to assist her stood in the doorway, just staring as they saw her limp body beneath the King they betrayed and the legendary Dean Winchester. One of them turned to run but didn't get far as Crowley flicked his wrist and sent him into the wall.

"Ah, ah, ah…There is nowhere you can run to, nowhere that you can hide. You dug your graves, now I'm going to bury you in them." He said in a low, angry tone, a scary glare on them.

"Dean…" said Sam, warily as he walked to his brother and grabbed his right arm. It seemed as though the elder Winchester didn't even hear him. Crowley turned at Sam's voice and looked at Dean, alarmed by the empty coldness that he saw on the man's face.

"Dean." He blurted, watching the hunter blink at him then pull the rag from his pocket again and wrap the blade in it.

"I'm fine. You can all relax. Not turning evil or anything." Said Dean, stowing the wrapped blade in his jacket. Meg walked over and dug through Abaddon's pockets until she found a set of keys then walked over to Castiel, unlocking his cuffs and pulling them off of him. She watched curiously as he healed himself with bright light then just blinked at her.

"You're welcome, Clarence." She said then smiled at him, standing but reaching a hand down to help him up. He let her pull him to his feet, still looking at her, confused as to how she was here but not asking any questions.

"Thank you." He said, his voice back to its normal state.

"Well, this has been an eventful evening but I need to clean up and get down to Hell. Immediately. It's time I reclaim my throne." Said Crowley, looking at them all.

"I have to get back to the angels." Stated Cas. The boys looked at them and both nodded. Castiel walked over and pulled Dean into a hug, smiling when he felt the hunter return it.

"Take it easy, Cas. Call us when you need our help." Said Dean, giving the angel's back a firm pat before separating from him.

"I will. Sam, Meg. Crowley." He said, giving them each a nod before disappearing.

"Take Meg with you two. I assume you're just returning to the bunker?" asked Crowley, trying to fix his shirt then realizing he couldn't since the buttons were all busted off.

"Yeah, I think that's the plan." Said Sam, looking at his brother and Meg.

"I'll be there after I've reestablished some sort of order downstairs." Said Crowley, his eyes wandered to Meg and he smiled very slightly.

"You do that." Said Dean, already wishing he was touching the blade with his bare hand again.

"Dean. Thank you. Same to you, Sam. And you, Meg." Said Crowley in a rare, truly sincere tone.

"Don't mention it." Replied Dean, thinking of what Metatron and Crowley had told him about the mark, wondering if he'd have done this had he not had the mark. Crowley just nodded, catching Meg's eyes with his briefly before also disappearing.

"Well, if you boys wanna sleep, I'll drive." Said Meg, stepping over to them and smiling.

"You think I'd let you drive my car?" asked Dean, starting to walk out, Sam and Meg right alongside him.

"You have before. You let me wreck it, once." She replied, chuckling as she set her hands on their shoulders, standing on tiptoes to do so, then vanished them outside next to the car.

"Son of a bitch… You could warn us next time…" blurted Dean, nearly falling over. Sam watched him then laughed, actually laughed for the first time in a long time. This caused Dean to stare at him then start laughing as well, actually laughing. For this brief, short moment, they were just brothers again. Just Sam and Dean Winchester, everything else forgotten. No murdered parents, no demons, no angel fights, no Lucifer, no Leviathan, no mark of Cain. Just a little brother laughing at his big brother who couldn't help but laugh back.

Meg watched this with an amused but sincerely happy smile, knowing the last time they were like this was probably when they were still trying to kill her and her them. It seemed like it was ages ago, another lifetime, really. Then Dean suddenly tossed the keys to Meg before opening the back door and sliding into the car.

"You wreck my car and I'll wreck your spinal cord." He stated as he shut the back door then moved to lay comfortably on the seat. Sam laughed again and walked around the car, Meg caught herself staring at him as he laughed. It made him look as though no time had passed from when she'd first met him all those years ago. No time, no trials, no stints in Hell. Just Sam. Sweet Sam, fun Sam.

"Don't worry, you big baby, your car will be fine." Said Meg, settling in the driver's seat as Sam sat next to her, she started the car and pulled them away from the abandoned hospital. Taking them back to the only home they'd known other than this car. Feeling oddly unlike herself, wondering if she wasn't starting to go soft.

****(I'm really proud of that chapter, too, even though it was super long. Hope you guys liked it. Please leave me a review on your way out. )** **


	19. Goodbye Stranger

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Allison Jalexa: **It's okay, I know shit happens. Glad you're staying with my story. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_You can laugh at my behavior_

_That'll never bother me_

_Say the Devil is my savior_

_But I don't pay no heed_

_And I will go on shining_

_Shining like brand new_

_I'll never look behind me_

_My troubles will be few_

_Goodbye stranger, it's been nice_

_Hope you find your paradise…" – Goodbye Stranger by Supertramp _

Chapter 19: Goodbye Stranger

Hardly five minutes after they'd arrived back at the bunker, the boys went back to their rooms to sleep. Sam dropping right onto the bed and passing out immediately. Dean, on the other hand, found all he could manage to do was zone out while music played lowly. Sleep had been evading him a lot lately, though he hardly felt tired.

Meg stayed out in the main room and snooped to cure her boredom. Looking at this book and that book then settling to sit when she found Dean's porn collection. It wasn't exactly her thing but it was more interesting than anything else. Plus, she couldn't wait to see the look on Crowley's face when he showed back up and caught her looking at porn. Before she could get too far into it, however, she nearly fell out of her seat as she heard Metatron's voice in her head.

"Meg. It's time. Listen closely." He said, she immediately ceased looking around for him, a distant part of her mind briefly wondering why she was obeying before it was shut down and silenced. All that mattered was hearing what he had to say. All that mattered was his order.

"You are going to take the angel blade into the other room and run it through Sam's heart. If Dean or Crowley try to stop you, you do the same to them. Then you come to me, you will know where to go. Understand?" said Metatron's firm tone in her head.

"Yes." She answered quietly, a whisper. She didn't hear his voice again but suddenly found herself standing up, grabbing the angel blade from the table and walking towards the bedrooms. The distant voice in the back of her head started protesting, there was no reason to be doing this, she couldn't be doing this, Sam was her ally. Maybe even her friend. Yet her hand opened his door silently. Before she could take a single step inside, a strong hand grabbed her arm and tugged her back out to the main room.

She hadn't known because she wasn't herself when Metatron was controlling her, but Crowley had been in the bunker from the moment the boys went to bed. He knew, he wasn't sure how, but he knew something was going to happen if he was gone. Something with Meg, something that explained how she was back. She turned and saw him but before the distant part of her mind, her own self could protest, she raised the blade and pushed it half an inch into his chest. Metatron's will over her pushed and pushed and pushed to kill him and she would've, had she not seen the look on of pain on his face from the initial slight stab. One of his hands closed around her wrist, the other cupped her cheek.

"Look. At. Me." He ordered in a low growl, keeping her from pushing the blade any farther, watching tears well up in her eyes as she tried to fight the power over her.

"Kill him and come to me!" ordered Metatron's voice in her mind. She shook her head, silent tears spilling down her cheeks and reluctantly met Crowley's gaze.

"I can't…I can't…No…" she stammered aloud.

"It's Metatron, isn't it? Meg, you have to tell me." Said Crowley, words strained, the tip of the blade still in his chest. She managed to nod, the power over her continuing to try and push the blade deeper in him.

"Please…I have to…I'm sorry…" she blurted in a broken tone then moved the blade out, higher, and stabbed him in the shoulder so the power would stop pushing on her. He cried out and let go of her on instinct, Metatron's control over her took the advantage of that and made her leave. Literally running out of the bunker, though she didn't try to fight that this time. If the bastard had control and wanted her to kill Crowley or the boys, then she refused to be around them til she knew she was safe. Unaware of exactly what had just happened, unaware that Crowley, just her refusal to harm her beloved Crowley broke the spell of memory suppression. She could now remember all of it. Metatron dragging her out of her torment, doing his spell, placing her under his control, all of the orders her conscious mind wasn't to know about. Unaware of all of this, she continued to run, knowing she was going right to the bastard angel, hoping she'd get a chance to kill him herself.

"Meg!" shouted Crowley, stumbled back against a table, hand over his bleeding shoulder. He heard the bunker door slam shut then two big sets of feet come running down the hall towards him. Looking over, he caught two half asleep Winchesters appearing ready to fight despite being half asleep.

"The hell's going on, Crowley?!" blurted Dean, lowering the gun in his hand, eyes widening when he saw the king was bleeding.

"It's Meg…" Crowley replied, eyes closing as he focused to heal his shoulder and walked over to leave.

"I thought you said your fighting wasn't going to affect anything." Said Sam, now rubbing his face.

"It's not our fighting. It's Metatron." Was the growled reply as he started up the stairs.

"Wow, wow, wait a minute! What happened?!" shouted Sam, starting to jog after him, Dean following at a brisk walk. Crowley opened the bunker door then stopped and turned to them.

"Metatron brought her back, dammit. He brought her back and dug into her head so he can control her at will. He tried using her to kill you, Sam. Then me. Got a clue what you're gonna do about it?" he snapped at them, fury at boiling point knowing the bastard was doing this to Meg. They both stared at him and blinked a few times before Sam tried giving an answer.

"Look, come back in here, we'll call Cas, we'll plan something." Stated Sam.

"No." was the simple reply as Crowley exited the bunker. Sam sighed and followed him out, Dean as well.

"Why the hell not?" snapped Dean, wondering what the sudden refusal of their help was about. He watched Crowley turn to them with the kind of cold anger on his face that they hadn't seen on him in a long time.

"For one, because the last time I tried working with you two, you cuffed me against my will and got me captured then tortured!" he roared at them, face going a little red from the force of yelling. Sam took a step back and looked away, Dean sighed and also averted his gaze, both feeling guilty for it since they were supposed to be actual allies now. Possibly even friends.

"Look, we made a mistake, alright? We've forgiven you for your mistakes, can't you do the same for us?" asked Dean, looking back up at the furious king.

"Forgiveness or no forgiveness, I'm not planning with you to go against Metatron. I don't trust either of you anymore. I thought things were different, you know? That perhaps we three were finally friends, but I guess not." Retorted Crowley, voice a low growl.

"We came for you, didn't we?" snapped Sam, finally looking at him again, frustrated. Crowley went quiet for a moment, calming somewhat before answering.

"You did….I am forever grateful for that, I am. I'm sorry, I'm a little angry, sometimes I say things I don't necessarily mean. Call Castiel if you want to but I'm going to see if I can't whip up a plan of my own. When and if I need your help, I'll come visit. Something happens and you need my help? Call. Alright?" he said, tone calmer but still a hint of dangerous fury in it. Dean nodded and cleared his throat.

"Alright." He said. Sam opened his mouth to speak but before either could say anything else, Crowley was gone.

Xxxxxx

Castiel sat in the now empty headquarters for his small angel army. The angel army that no longer existed. Not because they were dead but because Metatron had somehow convinced them to join his side of the fight while Cas was being held and tortured. Probably told them he'd ran away, abandoned them, left them to fight and make the decisions on their own. Degraded his leadership and reminded them of all the wrongs Cas had committed. Reminded them of the murders in Heaven, releasing the Leviathan, working with the King of Hell, being part of what cast all the angels out, stealing another angel's grace.

The dark haired angel didn't know what to do, now. The silence was deafening as his seraphic blue eyes gazed around the empty building. He distantly wondered if this was a trap then realized he didn't care if it was. He had no real way to fight Metatron, now. The lying, scheming bastard was the new god until the real God decided to return. He'd failed. Again. That's all he could think about. How many had he let down at this point?

Alone, he thought that was a good position for him. Alone. That way the only one who he could further disappoint would be himself. No more failing in the final fight, making the wrong decisions, or not being useful to Sam and Dean. He considered running and hiding, ignoring Sam and Dean if they called, then realized he just couldn't do that. Not with everything going on. If they called, it would be important and he couldn't leave them to fight whatever battle it was alone. He deserved to have to fight alone but they didn't. As his thoughts turned to the Winchesters, he began to wonder about Meg again.

A sickening twisting began to wrench his gut, a tell that something was very wrong here. He knew she was dead, that was solid as stone. What could possibly bring a demon back from wherever it is they go? Something powerful, something determined, and something with the motivation. What better motivation than to have a traitor in the midst of your worst adversaries? A traitor that would not only be able to cause physical damage but possibly emotional as well. With a sense of pure alarm, he realized that this had Metatron written all over it. Swiftly standing up, he vanished from sight.

The dark haired angel reappeared outside the bunker entrance, knocking on the heavy door. After a few moments, the door was finally opened to reveal a tired Sam.

"Cas?...What's going on?" he asked, moving aside so the angel could come in. Castiel stepped into the bunker, letting the door fall shut behind him. He looked around warily then leaned in close to Sam.

"Who all is here?" he asked in a gruff whisper.

"Just me and Dean. Why?" asked Sam, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Good. It's about Meg. We have to set a trap and lock her up. Metatron is controlling her. If we have her locked in your dungeon, we can find out how and stop him." Said Cas at his normal volume of voice, his own brows furrowing when he saw Sam sigh and shake his head.

"We know, Cas. Found out the hard way today. Bastard tried to have her kill me and Crowley." Said Sam in a tired tone, walking down the stairs with the angel.

"Damn. Where is Crowley?"

"No idea. He left pretty pissed off afterwards. Didn't say where he was going or what he was going to do."

"And that doesn't alarm you at all?" snapped Castiel. He didn't hate the king anymore but he knew better than to trust him to not do something that would be reckless or possibly end badly for everyone else.

"I honestly don't think there's much he can do, Cas. Not by himself, not even with all of Hell under his thumb again." Said Sam, picking his beer up off the table and taking a drink.

"I think you have a terrible habit of underestimating him." Replied Cas, looking over to the doorway when he heard Dean walking out to the main room. He watched the hunter stop and then almost smile.

"Cas? What's goin on?" he asked, walking over.

"Sam has caught me up to speed with what happened with Meg." Said Cas, not willing to yet admit what happened with his army.

"That's why you're here?" asked Dean, brows furrowed, knowing Castiel wasn't telling him something.

"I figured out that Metatron had to be behind her return, I came to warn you both. Apparently, I was too late." Cas sighed, eyes not leaving Dean, a strange expression on his face.

"Well, sit down. Stay for a while. We could drink or something. Been a long time since we did anything like that." Said Dean, grabbing a beer and holding it out to Cas.

"Just sitting and drinking? Don't you think we should be planning a way to get Meg back or something?" asked Sam.

"We will. Tomorrow. Crowley's on it right now, I promise you that. Just relax, Sam. Indulge. We can drink then catch up on sleep." Replied Dean, handing his brother another beer then sitting down. Castiel hesitated a moment then sat down across from Dean. Sam looked at them both then sighed and did the same, feeling guilty for doing this rather than working after what's happened tonight.

"I'm gonna teach you how to play poker, Cas." Stated Dean, smiling as he took out a deck of cards. Sam was more than a little concerned at his brother's recent mood swings and the look on Cas's face as he stared at the elder Winchester alarmed him even more.

Xxxxxx

"Get down here, you cowardly little shit!" shouted Crowley, standing in the middle of a crossroads and looking up. He waited a few moments, listening to the silence.

"I know you can hear me, asshole! Metatron! Get! Down! Here!" he shouted again, pure rage on his face. He heard the flutter of wings and swiftly turned to see the short angel standing before him.

"You should really get that temper under control." Said Metatron in a bored tone, staring at him.

"You're going to undo what you've done to Meg." Growled Crowley, glaring at the angel. His glare intensified as the angel laughed as though that was the greatest joke he'd ever heard.

"Why? Why on earth would I do that? She's been the best card I've played in a while." He retorted, chuckling through his words.

"Because I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse." Said Crowley, his perfect salesman tone having a hint of fury in it still.

"Are you joking? A deal? With you? First off, I'm the new God and you're the King of Hell. You're beneath me, demon. Why would I deign to deal with you? Secondly, you're buddy buddy with the Winchesters and Castiel. I have no reason at all to trust you, to trust that your deal wouldn't be a trap."

"You don't get it, do you? No one wins when they fight the Winchesters. Azazel, Lilith, Lucifer, Michael, the Leviathan, Abaddon, even me. You think you're better than Yellow Eyes was or I am? Better than Satan himself or the great archangel Michael? They will destroy you. Stomp on you like a cockroach, whatever it takes to do so."

"Oh, and you're gonna offer me safety, demon? What, I give Meg back as her whole self, give Heaven back to my siblings, and you'll make sure I live?" asked Metatron, laughing again, finding this whole conversation absurd. Crowley stared him down, feeling more than a little reckless in his rage. Suddenly, he began to laugh as well and shook his head in disappointment.

"I'd have thought someone who loved great stories as much as you do would know that you couldn't win. This fight was over before it began, you pigeon. I was going to offer you safety, a way out alive, I'm good at that sort of thing. I would've given you an honest deal and stuck to my word."

"Is your speaking in past tense supposed to alarm me?"

"It should."

"Oh, and why is that, demon?"

"Because you underestimate me. You should never, ever do that. Good luck in the coming fight, prat. I'll enjoy watching you be ripped apart. In fact, I'll sing and dance over your corpse." Retorted Crowley in his normal sassy bastard tone, a knowing smirk on his face. Before Metatron could reply, Crowley vanished. Refusing to give the prick the right to decide when this talk ended. He wanted him to feel as little in control as possible, he wanted him scared. It worked.

Xxxxxx

"Son of a bitch…" blurted Sam as the three of them laid their cards down and Cas won, yet again. The angel smiled widely, proud of himself that he'd caught onto the game so easily.

"Maybe I shouldn't have taught you…" grumbled Dean as he and Sam had to do another shot. They weren't playing for money, the losers of each hand just had to do a shot. The brothers were getting very close to being truly drunk.

"We could stop playing, if you want." Offered Castiel, thinking they were getting angry with him. Sam laughed and clapped him on the shoulder gently.

"No, no. Let's keep playing. We, or, rather Dean, just isn't used to losing." Chuckled Sam, downing his shot shortly after Dean did his.

"Shut up and Deal, Sammy." Blurted Dean, smiling as he said it, though. Sam just shook his head and dealt out the cards again, Cas shielding his as he got them, also smiling.

It was as though no fight was going on, no tragedies had taken place. They were relaxed and even having fun for the first time in a long time. No worries about the Mark of Cain, no care for what Metatron might be doing right now. In a way, they were letting Crowley take over the battle plans temporarily. Unaware that they would soon regret his decisions.

Xxxxxx

When Metatron returned, Meg immediately moved to attack him but found that her legs wouldn't cooperate with what she wanted. He rolled his eyes at her and sighed.

"Oh, just sit down. I've had enough of demons today." He stated tiredly and she sat, though every fiber of her being was fighting it.

"You cowardly bastard." She snapped at him, glad he couldn't control her speech. She watched him take a seat behind his desk and give her an annoyed look.

"Could everyone stop calling me that? Look at the things I've done! Are those things a coward accomplishes?" he asked in a pitiful tone.

"You mean mind raping me, lying to Cas and casting the angels out, kidnapping Cas, trying to make me kill the boys for you? Those sorts of things? Yes, that's shit a coward accomplishes." She growled her words at him through grit teeth as she tried to fight his hold on her.

"Crowley ruined all of this. All of it. I'm gonna have to kill him to feel better. I had you completely under my thumb and then he had to show up at that crucial moment and snap half of the spell work I did. The most infuriating part is that he has no idea he was the one who caused it to snap." Rambled Metatron, ignoring her insults and partly trying to upset her further.

"You lay a finger on him and I'll rip your grace out so I can skin you alive." She snarled at him, too wound up to care about her pride.

"I honestly didn't think demons were capable of love. It baffles me. I highly doubt Lucifer intended for you to feel love yet it happened. Maybe he didn't quite know what he was doing when he created your kind." He continued, looking at her again finally.

"Maybe you don't actually know everything, prick." She snapped back, glaring, wishing with all her might that she could dive across his desk and choke him.

"See, no one thinks demons feel love. Maybe we've all been wrong all these centuries. You clearly can, you just express it in ways that make it seem like the opposite. Probably because most of you have no idea what it is your feeling since your humanity is gone. Some are smarter than others and those are the ones that find a way to manage it. Like you and Crowley." He stated, thinking aloud, seeming fascinated by this.

"Why don't you just fucking kill me already? I would honestly rather you cut out my eyes and deafened me with sewing needles, it would be less painful than listening to you talk." Said Meg, giving him a look that clearly said she was getting real tired of his shit real fast. Her brows raised when he suddenly sat forward, elbows on the desk, and smiled at her.

"Tell me about it." He stated.

"Excuse you, toad?"

"Tell me about you and Crowley. I bet it's a great story." He replied. She gave him a look like he was out of his damn mind.

"Fuck off." She snapped at him.

"I mean it. I just want to hear the story."

"I mean it, too. Fuck off. Very, very far away from me." She replied with a bitchy smile and nod of her head, feeling a bit of triumph when he sat back with a sigh.

"This is why I hate demons. You're all so rude and selfish."

"This is why I hate angels. You all think you run everything and are better than the rest of creation. The only exception is Castiel."

"We were God's first children. We out rank all of creation."

"Who gives a shit who was first? You assholes have done more damage to humankind than any of us down in Hell ever have. We let humans still have the choice to be good, faithful servants of God and if they don't, then we punish them for God. You dicks don't even try to protect them anymore, you just use them to get at each other, you let them be collateral damage in your little pissing matches for who's in charge. Speaking of your pissing matches, tell me of a single time in history since God left you all that you weren't fucking fighting over who rules the castle? Yeah, humans have wars all the time, too. Yeah, every few centuries there's a new fight for who runs Hell. But you're no better than any of the rest of us. In fact, since you're supposed to represent God and do His work and protect humankind, you're worse than us. Cause not a single one of you other than Castiel has even tried to do that since Daddy left." Ranted Meg, feeling her anger subside a little bit with each sentence that left her mouth. Watching Metatron's face, seeing his confidence start to crumble and actual hurt in his gaze. As soon as she finished, his expression turned to anger from bruised pride.

"Who do humans pray to for help? Us. Who do they fear and hunters try to kill? You. Discussion over. You can bitch and moan all you want, the fact remains that we're the good guys." Snapped Metatron, glaring at her.

"Oh, yeah? Sure, sure. Lucifer, too, then? I mean, he is one of you."

"Lucifer is the exception."

"Yeah, whatever. You're nothing but a glorified secretary. I hope I live long enough to watch the boys kill you."

"I don't know what those Winchesters said to convince you and Crowley that they're invincible but they're no match against a god."

"You keep thinkin that, sugar." She retorted with her old, familiar sassy smirk, sitting back comfortably in her chair and pretending like there was no place other than here that she'd rather be. Her smirk widened when she saw how much that annoyed him. One more triumph under her belt. This dweeb was a true joke. Nothing like the angels she feared in the past. He was just a coward on steroids.

Xxxxxx

The heat was a homely comfort and the stench of brimstone practically scented candles as Crowley walked down a particular hallway in Hell. Not until it had been taken from him had he realized how much he appreciated and cared about Hell itself. It took losing it to truly find out how much he wanted it. To find out just how proud he was to have scratched and clawed his way up for so long and taken the throne.

These thoughts crossed his mind then rolled away as quickly as they came. Something else was occupying his thoughts now. Something far more important and probably the riskiest move he'd ever made. He knew all the good points he'd earned with the Winchesters were probably going to go right out the window for doing this. Hell, he wasn't sure he'd survive doing this but at this point, all he wanted was Metatron dead and Meg free. The boys could pick up the pieces, they always did. This was the only play he knew for certain could work. Dean and the blade were a formidable threat but Metatron was right to be cocky. He had a lot of power and no one knew how or where he was getting it from. It wouldn't be worth it to throw Dean at him and risk losing him when they had no clue if he was strong enough or if the blade would even work.

The thought had crossed his mind before that he'd do anything for Meg. The thought had crossed his mind recently that he'd do anything for the boys. Now he knew that was honestly true. Whether because he was still tainted by humanity or if through the demonic nature he truly loved them, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he would do anything for them. Even something that caused him to lose his throne permanently and possibly sent him to his grave. He stopped walking and stared into the most protected and locked cell in all of Hell.

"I have a proposition for you." He stated, looking directly at one occupant in particular. Said occupant walked to the barred door and tilted his head at Crowley, ice cold blue eyes suspiciously watching him.

"You? Have a proposition for me? I'm touched."

"How would you like to get out of this cage, Father?" asked Crowley, addressing Lucifer how all demons were supposed to. He was their God, after all. The devil grinned.

"You have my attention." He stated.

****(What's that I hear? The sound of an atomic bomb being dropped on you all? I couldn't resist. Stick around for more. Thank you for reading, please leave me a review on your way out.)** **


	20. Evil Angel

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Allyson Jalexa: **good to know I'm keeping you surprised. Yes, I know I'm evil, I take pride in it. Expect more painful cliffhangers to come, I like them, they keep people interested. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_Hold it together, birds of a feather_

_Nothing but lies and crooked wings_

_I have the answer, spreading the cancer_

_You are the faith inside me_

_No, don't_

_Leave me to die here_

_Help me survive here_

_Alone, don't remember, remember_

_Put me to sleep, evil angel _

_Open your wings, evil angel…" – Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin_

Chapter 20: Evil Angel

"You betrayed me, Crowley. Why should I trust you? For all I know, what you ask of me might not be worth my freedom." Said Lucifer, close enough to the bars that instead of being red hot, they began to cool and almost freeze.

"You want to do what I'll ask of you." Replied Crowley, feeling the cold that radiated from the evil being before him, staring directly at his astonishing true form.

"Really? Enlighten me."

"Metatron." Stated Crowley simply, looking at him fearlessly despite the nerves twisting in his gut.

"The scribe? What about him?"

"He took over in Heaven. Kicked all your lovely siblings out."

"What?" was Lucifer's snarled retort, sudden, dangerous fury abundantly clear.

"He thinks he's god now. It's all a game to him. I want him dead. You could kill him."

"That's all you want of me? Tell me why I don't believe you." Replied Lucifer, extremely suspicious about this. After what Crowley pulled with helping the Winchesters shut him away, the king was still on his shit list.

"There are conditions. As the King of Hell, I run the show. You are just my paid assassin. You make a single move against me or I suspect you're trying to start the apocalypse again and I will put you right back in this cage. For eternity. No second chance." Said Crowley, tone firm, letting him know this was a once in a lifetime offer to be free again, finally. Lucifer was silent for a few moments, thinking of this.

"I have my own conditions." He stated.

"Name them and we'll see." Replied Crowley, now more nervous at what the bastard may ask for.

"I want my old vessel back, I imagine he was buried. Put me back in that vessel. You have the means and the spell work to do it, I know you do."

"Done. That it?"

"No. I end Metatron, I get Heaven. You can keep Hell, I hate your kind anyway. I want Heaven, I want my home back. I want it to be mine. Michael was the oldest, I was next in line. It will be mine." Stated Lucifer. Crowley grit his teeth, knowing this was probably a terrible, terrible idea. At the same time, however, he didn't remotely care what happened to Heaven as long as it wouldn't affect him.

"No apocalypse and no trying to control the flow of souls to Hell."

"None of that. I just want my home back." Replied Lucifer in a sincere tone, though Crowley didn't trust it for a second.

"Fine. Heaven is yours. Anything else?"

"Yes. Michael stays in here, forever. And you don't let the Winchesters hunt me."

"You know as well as I do that no one can control the Winchesters."

"Tough. Make it happen."

"You would really stay in this cage for eternity just because I can't control Sam and Dean?" asked Crowley in a skeptical tone.

"Fair point. Do your best, then."

"Alright. That it?"

"Yes."

"Once I have the spell set up and your vessel prepared, I'll let you out. Won't be long." Said Crowley with a nod before walking away. The devil watched him go and grinned before starting to hum as he waited.

Xxxxxx

After dozens of games of poker and two whole bottles of whiskey, both Sam and Dean were fast asleep on the couches in the main room of the bunker. Castiel was still there, which he knew would surprise them when they woke up, but he had nowhere else to go. He was aware that Dean didn't like it when he watched him sleep, that it was considered creepy by humans. However, he did it anyway. More so intensely observing Dean, seeing what human eyes couldn't.

His beloved friend was changing. Changing into something that frightened Castiel. Not just because he didn't know how Dean would react to it but because he didn't know if Dean would still be himself by the time it was done with. He also wondered if his friend knew what was happening. Crowley must, there's not a chance that the King Of Hell was oblivious to this, he could see the same things Castiel could. He wouldn't be surprised if Crowley hadn't told him, though. There's no way that Dean would be continuing with the blade, doing what he's doing, or even considering Crowley an ally if he knew the truth.

Yesterday, Cas believed it was just the mark of Cain distorting how Dean's soul looked. But now that he had hours on his hands to think, to remember, to mark off little details, he realized it was much more than that. It was hard to consider that it was happening, he never believed in such a thing before. Thought it was merely a legend demons used to scare other creatures. More of his suspicions were confirmed as Dean suddenly began to stir after only having slept for 3 hours. Cas knew that any human, even Dean, would be passed out for at least 8 or 9 hours after the obscene amount of alcohol drank not so long ago. But, lo and behold, Dean rubbed his face and sat up slowly, appearing wide awake. The hunter turned to Cas and blinked at him a few times.

"What did I say about watching me sleep?" he whispered to not wake Sam up. Cas looked away with a soft sigh.

"That it's creepy, stalkerish, and I ought not to do it." Replied Castiel, also whispering.

"Exactly." Mumbled Dean, standing up and stretching before leaving the main room and going to the kitchen. Cas followed him and became hopeful that he was going to eat. Even hopeful that he'd wander off to go to the bathroom or something. Anything to show that Cas was wrong about his suspicions and nothing was happening to Dean other than distortion from the mark. His suspicions were further set in stone when he watched the man simply grab an unopened bottle of scotch from the shelf and pour some in a glass.

"Not hungover?" asked Cas, brows furrowed, afraid of the answer he knew he'd get.

"No. Grew out of that a long time ago." Replied Dean, then picking the glass up and taking a drink. Castiel knew that wasn't the truth but then was faced with the fact that Dean couldn't see what was happening, the only difference he noticed was that he was angry easier and more eager to kill. Which was the normal, well-known lore for the mark of Cain. Dean couldn't recognize these other things because his mind was changing as well as his soul and being.

"That is a good thing." Said Cas, though he didn't remotely mean it.

"How come you're still here, anyway? Don't you have battle plans to do or something?"

"I…don't. Not anymore." Replied Cas, brought out of his worry for Dean as the topic he'd been wanting to avoid was finally brought up. Blue eyes met green for a moment then Cas had to look away.

"What happened?" asked Dean, tone stern.

"While I was Metatron and Abaddon's prisoner, Metatron moved on my army. Not with violence but with lies. Convinced them I'd abandoned the fight, told some tall tale that they somehow believed. They've all turned to his side. Therefore, I have no battles to plan. I have no army to lead. Things are back to the way they should be. All I have is you and Sam." Explained Cas, trying to make light of what was depressing him earlier.

"Angels are such a pain in the ass. I'm sorry, Cas." Sighed Dean, shaking his head briefly. He pat Cas on the shoulder. The angel found himself smiling slightly at the reassuring pat.

"Thank you, Dean."

"Hey, at least you're a professional poker player now." Dean said with a smile, taking another drink.

"I suppose."

"Did Crowley ever come back?"

"No. No phone calls, either."

"Weird. I say we summon him. He shouldn't be gone this long. Something's wrong or he's up to something he's trying to hide from us." Said Dean, then finishing his glass of whiskey, he set the empty cup down.

"Perhaps we should give him more time. He may simply be busy." Said Cas slowly, wanting time with just Dean for a while. He watched the Winchester shake his head and sigh.

"Don't you feel that, Cas?"

"Feel what?" asked the angel, brows furrowed in confusion.

"That…feeling like something's wrong? Like something massively bad is about to happen and we won't know what it is until it's too late?" asked Dean and the more Cas thought about what his friend was saying, the more he realized he was right.

"A foreboding feeling. Yes. Yet, it doesn't feel like it's something Metatron will do."

"Right. Like it's something worse than anything he's done or is planning to do." Said Dean, then he sighed and rubbed the stubble on his cheek.

"Give Crowley some more time. When Sam wakes, we'll call him. That way we can all figure out what this is." Replied Cas. He watched Dean nod slowly.

"Yeah, alright. Let's do that." Said Dean, simply agreeing with him. Wondering what in the hell was going on that had his gut all twisted in knots.

Xxxxxx

"You do realize that you're fucked, right? And not in the fun way, either." Blurted Meg, watching Metatron close his eyes in frustration and heave a sigh, his fingers stilling on the typewriter's keyboard.

"What part of 'I am trying to write' do you not understand?" he almost growled at her, glaring at the demon.

"I understand all of it. Don't try too hard. Might make that pistachio shaped head of yours explode, toad." She snapped back, putting her feet up on one of his tables again and picking at the fabric on her chair.

"For your information, I am a fantastic story teller."

"You remind me of Nathaniel Hawthorne." She replied, looking up at him. Watching him suddenly smile.

"Do I?"

"Yeah. Boring, wordy, and full of himself. You're certainly no Dickens or Shakespeare or Poe or even Stephen King. Hell, Bob Dylan tells better stories through his songs than you do with anything you type." She said, watching the smile leave his face and a scowl replace it. She loved that she was getting to the bastard, even if insults were all she could do.

"Bitch." He grumbled then returned his attention to typing.

"What are you writing, anyway? Twilight fanfiction? Fifty Shades Of Douchebag?" she asked, smirking when he slammed his hand down on the desk.

"Are you done?!"

"I'm actually just getting started. What's the matter, scribe? Can't handle the mouth of a demon? If I'm so far beneath you, it shouldn't bother you."

"I am three seconds away from changing my plans just so I can kill you now." He snapped at her.

"Mother of sin, please do."

"Ugh. Just…quiet. For ten minutes. Is that so much to ask?"

"You fucking brain raped and kidnapped me. Yeah, that's too much to ask. Back to my original question, you know you're fucked, right?" she asked, gaze not leaving him.

"Actually, I don't see that being the outcome at all."

"That's because you're what someone I know would call a 'short sighted little prat'."

"Oh, am I? Enlighten me as to how, Meg." He stated, completely abandoning writing so that he could dismantle anything she would say.

"You fucked up. I mean, pissing off the Winchesters is one thing. Pissing off Castiel is one thing. Pissing off Crowley is another. But pissing off _all four of them?_ I hope you filled out a last will and testament."

"Your Winchesters can't do anything to me, despite Dean having the mark of Cain. Castiel has no army. Crowley does, yes, but not a single one of his army can enter Heaven. So, tell me how that sets my death in stone."

"First off, Dean Winchester is the most ferocious fighter I've ever seen in my life. Now he has the mark of Cain which basically makes him the meanest warrior alive hopped up on steroids. Secondly, Sam Winchester lived through me, Azazel, demon blood, being Lucifer's vessel, being trapped in Hell, almost completing the trials, and losing his brother more than once. Underestimating him is a really dumb move."

"I've heard all the talk about the Winchesters. Makes a great story, yes, but they're no match for a god." Replied Metatron, rolling his eyes at her. She continued, pretending he hadn't spoken.

"Castiel has been a soldier of Heaven all his life, a protector of the Winchesters, survived swallowing purgatory whole, survived the Leviathan taking over him, survived Purgatory itself, survived the fall, bounced back and got himself an army, but he really doesn't even need one. He's a pure angel with a bad boy side and that should scare you. Turns me on, but it should scare you. He goes from an adorable kitten to a lean, mean, killing machine in the blink of an eye."

"Castiel's grace is going to burn out, Meg. It's not his own, he stole it from another, it's only a matter of time before he's human again. He has an impressive history but none of that took place while he was human. In fact, he might as well be an abandoned puppy without his grace." Countered Metatron, watching the look on her face slip a little bit at his words. She recovered quickly, again pretending he hadn't spoken.

"And then there's Crowley. You honestly think just anyone can become the King of Hell? That just anybody down there can step into Lucifer's shoes? To run Hell, all of it has to either fear or respect you, or you'll be dead in half a day. All of Hell fears him and at least half of it respects him. Now, you know what Hell is. It's nothing but the installation of fear and torment. Ask yourself what someone would have to do to frighten the creatures that all of the rest of the universe are afraid of. That's not somebody you should fuck with. And not only did you fuck with him, you took me from him. You were already on his shit list, now you're right at the very top of it."

"You expect me to fear him? Honestly? I don't care what he did, I don't care how he became leader of the universe's toilet. It doesn't matter, there's nothing he can do."

"See, he has a firm belief that the only one who's allowed to kidnap me, hold me against my will, and or torture me is him. Therefore, you should probably stick your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye already."

"He cannot enter Heaven to even try to lay a finger on me. Only those I allow to enter Heaven can do so." Replied Metatron in an annoyed tone.

"Maybe not, but he'll find a way to. Or someone who can. When he really wants something, it's best you step aside and let him have it."

"I'm done with this pointless talk. Quiet, let me write." He stated finally, turning his attention back to the typewriter. Meg heaved a sigh and was quiet for a few moments before beginning to hum a random song just to keep the bastard annoyed. Her mind drifted to Crowley, knowing he was doing all he could to get her back, scared that he would do too much and get himself killed.

Xxxxxx

A blinding flash struck like lightening in the graveyard, visible for miles to anyone who cared to look. The corpse on the grass began to reanimate as piercing blue eyes opened and Lucifer stood up, cracking his neck and sighing with a smile. His brows furrowed briefly.

"You did a binding spell to the vessel." He stated in his soft voice, looking at Crowley.

"It was falling apart on you last time. I figured you would want to avoid that this time around." Replied Crowley, also having done it as a favor and unspoken message to keep their deal intact, no double crossing.

"Hm. How thoughtful. Perhaps you're not the ignorant disappointment I thought you to be." Replied Lucifer, his handsome face splitting into a smile before he stepped past the king, stretching his legs and taking a deep breath.

"Metatron has Heaven on lock down. Rumor has it, he has a secret passage and controls who can get in or out." Explained Crowley, turning to watch him, knowing better than to take his eyes off of the devil when he was around. That was a very easy way to get yourself killed.

"Little brother thinks he knows everything. How cute."

"Didn't Gabriel have his own secret way in and out? That no one knew about? I could swear I heard that."

"Yes, he did. Who do you think showed him it? I taught him all his tricks. Gabriel was truly my favorite brother." Said Lucifer, smiling at memories then sighing.

"You don't think Metatron would've found it and blocked it off?"

"The scribe knows nothing."

"I'm not so sure. He did write the angel tablet."

"Doesn't matter. He may have written down God's every thought but that doesn't mean he knows all of Heaven's secrets." Countered Lucifer, then smiling at Crowley before suddenly vanishing with a flutter of wings.

Crowley quickly turned to make sure the bastard hadn't pulled a trick to come up behind him and stab him in the back, heaving a sigh relief when he discovered he was the only one in the cemetery. Running a hand over his face, he began to worry he'd made a terrible mistake but pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. This was the only play he had left. In a blink, he vanished from the cemetery and to the entrance of the bunker, knowing the boys would be getting suspicious.

Xxxxxx

A few more hours had passed, Sam waking finally with a hangover that ended up requiring several pills and a shot to make it bearable. Cas and Dean were sitting in the main room with him, having just discussed the idea of summoning Crowley when the bunker door opened and the King strolled in.

"Where the hell have you been, you son of a bitch?" greeted Dean in a growl as he stood up.

"Miss me, darling?" asked Crowley, raising his brows as he walked over.

"Crowley, where were you?" demanded Cas, not trusting him very much, having felt a strange surge from Hell during the night.

"Cleaning up Abaddon's mess. I had a lot of traitors to torture and rules to fix. Why? Something else happen?" asked Crowley, not lying, just avoiding a truth.

"We don't know. Cas here got a spidy tingle midway through the night, said something happened in your neck of the woods." Replied Dean, folding his arms.

"Probably me being pissed and unleashing my wrath on all of Hell." Explained Crowley, again, not fully lying.

"No, Crowley, it was something else. I don't have enough grace in me to be able to tell exactly what it was. What was it?" replied Cas, starting to get frustrated.

"Find out a way to get Meg back?" asked Crowley, looking at the three of them, only Sam appearing fully guilty about it.

"No. To be fair, we didn't try all that hard last night." Said Sam, watching Crowley nod with a clenched jaw.

"Of course. Well, you had your chance. I merely took my turn to get her back and fix the Heaven situation. You're welcome." Retorted Crowley, filling a glass with scotch and taking a long drink before looking back at the three of them who were all now standing. He could literally feel the anger radiating from Dean.

"Crowley, goddammit, what did you do?!" snapped Dean, Cas gave the brothers confused looks. Crowley looked right at them, chin raised ever so slightly, chest somewhat puffed out.

"I let Lucifer out." He answered, deciding it was best to confess now rather than be considered a traitor later.

****(Took me forever to get that chapter finished, yes, I know. I couldn't decide how I wanted it to play out, not even sure if I'm totally pleased with this. Hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks for reading, please leave a review on your way out.)** **


	21. This Ship's Going Down

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Thepurestandmostdarkestthing: **I'VE UPDATED. I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG. Thanks for sticking with the story. I hope I can get a nice long review for this chapter.

Twilight Zone

"_A gargantuan hole in the bow, will the ocean to enter allow._

_Oh but more a sin than letting it in, it's letting our good fortune out." – This Ship's Going Down by Voltaire_

Chapter 21: This Ship's Going Down

There was a stunned silence for a few moments. Sam and Dean hardly believing that Crowley had actually gone through with it. Castiel, on the other hand, was in basically a numbing shock. He couldn't believe anyone, let alone someone who survived the attempted apocalypse, would be dumb or crazy enough to let the devil out again. The silence was broken by, as Crowley had expected would happen, Dean blowing up.

"You WHAT?!" he roared, moving forward in an inhumanly quick motion and grabbing Crowley, stepping enough to move him back, the King's shoes trying to find grip on the floor. Crowley stopped trying to stall Dean's motions when his back was slammed hard into the wall, hard enough that the wall shook. Hard enough to make Sam and Cas exchange alarmed looks, knowing that Dean, well a human Dean, wasn't that strong.

"I know you don't care if she's killed or not but I do! I told you that if you didn't find a way, I would use my own!" Crowley shouted at him, their faces hardly an inch apart, glaring at each other. The king grabbed the front of Dean's shirt, jaw clenched.

"We already stopped the apocalypse once, Crowley, you think he'll fall for the same thing a second time around?! You just damned the entire planet!" Dean shouted back at him, shoving him into the wall again, causing Crowley to grunt at the force and hit. Cas and Sam exchanged anxious looks again, not knowing if they should step in or not.

"It's done, Dean. You think I ignored that?! I made a deal with him. Things will be fine. Now, let me go." Replied Crowley, speaking through grit teeth.

"You made a deal with him? A binding contract sort of thing that he can't break?" asked Sam, not able to stay quiet at this point. Crowley looked over Dean's shoulder at the younger Winchester.

"Not quite. Much better. I offered him something he couldn't refuse. We established trust. There will be no apocalypse." Answered Crowley, not sounding as angry in speaking to Sam. Dean shoved him against the wall once more then felt the mark of Cain start to burn in response, he grit his teeth and abruptly let go of Crowley, remembering what Metatron had told them.

"He fucks us over and I will kill you, Crowley. With my bare hands. This Hell bond between us won't stop me." Growled Dean, gaze narrowed at the king. Cas felt anger rise within him at Dean and Crowley, the realization hitting him of what the mark really means.

"What deal did you make?" growled Cas, nobody thinking anything of his anger other than that it was due to Lucifer being free. Crowley adjusted his tie and jacket, smoothing out the wrinkles before looking at the angel.

"No apocalypse. He doesn't even want Hell. He kills Metatron for us, as long as you three don't try and kill him." Answered Crowley, Cas narrowed his gaze into a glare at the king.

"What did you give him in return?"

"Heaven." Was the short answer. Everyone turned to look at Cas.

"Heaven? You gave Satan Heaven?! Do you know what you've done?" exploded Cas, who would be smiting Crowley right now if he'd had enough grace to do so.

"I don't care what happens upstairs, Cas. He's already said he won't try and control the flow of souls, that I can continue to run Hell how I've always ran it. All of you upstairs have been no better than him since God left. This is no different from Naomi or you being in charge." Argued Crowley, giving the angel a look of annoyance and disgust.

"You have damned all of my brothers and sisters to torment!" shouted Castiel, taking a few steps towards him.

"Your brothers and sisters can kiss my ass! Tell me the last time any of them, aside from you, have ever done the job that God left for you!" Crowley shouted in return, heat starting to radiate from him due to his anger. Sam set his hand on Cas's shoulder and Dean stepped between the two beings shouting at each other, looking at Crowley.

"Calm down. This isn't helping anyone. What's done is done. If things get bad upstairs, we'll do what we have to when the time comes." Said Sam in a firm tone, looking at them, burying his own internal panic in order to be the sensible one in this situation.

"I have to go meet him. He's bringing Meg back to me after killing Metatron. You're welcome to come, as long as you don't try killing him." Said Crowley, after taking a deep breath and calming himself fully.

"Why don't we set up a trap, a spell? Send him back to his cage once this is done?" asked Sam, looking right at the King this time. Crowley gave him a dirty look in return.

"Because I honor my agreements, Moose. I changed my mind. You three stay here. I won't risk you ruining things." Replied Crowley, turning from them all and walking up the stairs to the door. Dean looked at his brother and the angel before following him, causing the king to stop and give a curious look.

"I wanna make sure he's following the agreement, too." Said Dean, stiffly. Sam and Cas stared at him as he went, confused. Crowley and Dean walked out before they could protest and vanished from the bunker.

"What the in hell is going on…." Blurted Sam, turning to look at Castiel.

Xxxxxx

Meg continued humming a song even as Metatron gave her the fiftieth death glare of the last half an hour. She blinked when he suddenly snapped and slammed his hands down on the desk.

"Something wrong, toad?" asked Meg, ending her humming and smirking even as he stood up and walked around his desk.

"I have had it. I have no more patience for this. This is no longer a hostage situation." He answered in a furious tone, picking an angel blade up off the desk. Her eyes widened a little bit and she began to plot a way to disarm him when he got close.

"Poor, little, fake god. I didn't piss you off, did I?" she retorted, relieved to find that she could fight his hold and therefore could fight him. It was a slim chance of winning but better than nothing. He moved closer and just as he was about to jam the blade into her, they both heard a flutter of wings.

"Playing childish god games, brother?" asked Lucifer in that soft voice of his, icy blue eyes surveying the scene. Watching shock settle on both of their faces and then pure fear on Metatron's as he lowered the blade but didn't drop it.

"You….You can't be here…." Stammered the scribe.

"Did you really think you could get away with this? You're not Raphael, you're not Gabriel, you're not me, you're not even close to Michael. Hell, you're not even Castiel. You're just daddy's secretary." Replied Lucifer, taking a few slow steps towards them.

"How…how … how'd you get out?" blurted Metatron, the insults going right over his head.

"Crowley…." Breathed Meg, knowing only her king was crazy or determined enough to make such a drastic move to get her back.

"Correct. I see why he wants you back so badly, you're not as dumb as the average demon." Said Lucifer, turning his head to look at Meg and give her a smile.

"Th..thank you, my Lord." Answered Meg quietly, all at once terrified, excited, and stunned to be in the presence of her god. He gave her a nod and turned back to Metatron.

"I am in charge now." Said Metatron, tone much less convincing than he'd have liked.

"You're the runt of the litter, brother. A disgrace. In fact, you make us all look bad. Worse than I ever did. You are not our Father and you never will be. You are not next in line to take over Dad's kingdom. I am. You have a very simple choice. Bow down to me now…or suffer my wrath and judgment. _Brother._" Answered Lucifer, a very scary look on his face as he spoke. More interested in doing the wrath and judgment part rather than letting the toad bow down to him.

Metatron swallowed nervously, in a slight dilemma. He knew that Lucifer could literally annihilate him with a flick of his wrist, there was a reason he was terrified of his brother. On the other hand, if he lost his control here, he would be hunted forever. He was no longer thinking in terms of how to keep control, he was thinking on whether he wanted to die or basically be the second most hated angel in creation. Too cowardly to accept the death that would, in a way, set him free but likely to a judgment of some sort, he dropped the blade and fell to his knees in front of his big brother.

"I am sorry, brother. Please… don't kill me." He said in a quiet, broken voice. His head hanging and eyes watering. Lucifer stared at him for a few moments, considering all sorts of different messy deaths and tortures before sighing, pitying the childish angel that never really grew.

"There will be punishment, Metatron." He stated then looked over as one of Metatron's guards busted into the room then stood stick still, pure terror on his face as he looked at Lucifer.

The guard's mouth moved, stammering, but no words came out. Lucifer turned his head to look at the guard.

"Escort Metatron to one of the cells. Lock him up tight. I'll deal with him shortly." Instructed Lucifer, watching the guard swallow nervously and look between them, unsure if he should follow that order as another rushed over. Lucifer rolled his eyes and twisted the first guard's neck with a flick of his wrist, listening to the other briefly scream and then stare at him.

"Same. Order. Unless you'd like to join your incompetent brother?..." offered Lucifer, the second guard hurried in and she quickly helped Metatron to his feet and led him out of the room as he quietly cried, fearing what sort of punishment was to come. Lucifer then stepped over to the desk where the angel tablet was hidden and smiled before beginning to speak with the assurance that every angel, fallen or not, could hear him.

"Metatron is imprisoned. I am your leader now. If you mobilize against me, I will destroy you in every single sense of the word. Yes, this is your eldest brother, Lucifer. As Michael is still trapped in Hell, Heaven is rightfully mine. Adjust your loyalties accordingly or await punishment. Things are going to change around here, kiddos." He added with a sinister smirk before walking away from the desk, listening to the stunned and frightened silence on angel radio. Lucifer set a hand on Meg and they vanished from Heaven.

Xxxxxx

Sam was moodily drinking in silence with Castiel sitting nearby, neither knowing what they could possibly do until Crowley and Dean returned. Suddenly, Cas stood up so quickly that his chair tumbled backwards and flipped over, causing Sam to nearly drop his glass of whiskey.

"Jesus… What?! What's going on?" blurted Sam, staring at the angel. Cas slowly turned his head and gave Sam a look that sent chills down his spine.

"Lucifer has taken Heaven." Answered Cas. Sam met his expression with a firm jaw but fear in his eyes.

Xxxxxx

Crowley was leaning against the hood of the Impala as Dean paced, both waiting for Lucifer. Dean had the first blade in his coat despite Crowley having told him to not bring it. He had his own personal vendetta against the devil that he wasn't willing to let go so easily, although he was doing a damn good job pretending to so that Crowley wouldn't suspect he was going to do anything potentially stupid.

"Hey!" barked Dean, looking over at the king who gave him an annoyed expression in response.

"What?"

"Get off my car! It's not a couch!" shouted Dean, marching over as Crowley rolled his eyes at him but got off of the Impala. The Winchester huffed at him and wiped at the hood just in case there were scuffs that were invisible to the naked eye. As far as he was concerned, only he and Sam were allowed to sit on the car.

"Are we done with our hissy fit, now, squirrel?" asked Crowley, brows raised. Dean gave him a dirty look and put his hands back in his coat pockets.

"You're a hissy… fit… shut up, Crowley." Retorted Dean, looking away so he didn't have to see the smug look on the king's face at his slow witted response.

"So, so rude… Did no one teach you manners, Dean?"

"I tried once, but it didn't seem to catch in that thick skull of his." Said a snarky, female voice from behind them. They both turned to see Meg standing there with Lucifer next to her.

Crowley stared and had to remind himself of how to walk, feeling as though his legs were noodles as he stepped over to her. She walked to him in that slow, cool, indifferent manner of hers but it was cut short when he openly pulled her into his arms, hugging her to him tightly and nuzzling against her neck. Instead of fighting it for her "image's sake", she hugged him back and deeply breathed in the scent of cigars, whiskey, and his own personal musk.

"Are you okay?" he whispered so only she could hear him.

"Yes, now stop. You're ruining my reputation." She whispered back, pressing a kiss to his neck before pulling away. They were so enwrapped in each other for the time being that they hadn't yet noticed the looks Dean and Lucifer were giving each other.

"Is there a problem, mini Michael?...I do believe you owe me an apology. About the shooting me in the face thing." Said Lucifer as Meg and Crowley finally looked over, both their guts sinking down as they realized what was happening.

"You got any idea how bad you messed up my brother, dickbag?" asked Dean in a growl, moving a little closer and slightly around Lucifer.

"Oh, come now. I'd never hurt Sam. I love Sam. Why would I harm _my _true vessel?"

"That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about what you did to his soul. I watched him go out of his fucking mind because of you. And you know what? I think it's time you paid for that. Cause, see, I don't trust the deal Crowley made with you. I don't think you'll really live up to your end of the bargain. Far as I'm concerned, you're a lying dick with wings. Like most of your brothers."

"That hurts my feelings, Dean. What did I ever do to you?" asked Lucifer with a slight smirk, trying to rile Dean up. Crowley wanted to step in, to stop this before it got further, but also knew Lucifer could end him with a single thought. Meg just wanted to stay out of it entirely.

"Oh, I don't know. Started the apocalypse. Fucked with my brother's head. Indirectly caused the deaths of a few good friends of mine. I mean, just for starters." Answered Dean, pulling the first blade from his coat.

"Dean, no…" blurted Crowley, knowing where this was going. Lucifer just laughed.

"You should listen to your little king, Dean. What, now you've got super powers and a magic sword, you think you can take me on? You're more of a fool than I thought you were."

"We'll see about that." Retorted Dean, then lunging at Lucifer. Crowley pulled Meg back and away from the scuffle, worried about Dean but more worried about her. The devil simply dodged Dean's attacks. Even vanishing to appear behind him at random moments, laughing all the while. Which, of course, only further enraged Dean.

Crowley started over to them to try and stop what he knew he couldn't physically end. Before he could get very far, Lucifer simply flicked his wrist and sent him flying back against a tree where he dropped with a thud and wince.

Dean saw this and the mark burned hotter, pushing his blade forward with all his strength to run Lucifer through. The blade didn't even touch the vessel's skin before Lucifer grabbed his wrist and turned it, stepping and pushing Dean back against his beloved Impala as he plunged the blade into the Winchester's chest, slowly lowering the man to the ground, face in his.

"I told you not to. You're not going to like what follows this, Dean. Not at all." Said Lucifer in a low, soft tone. He pulled the blade from Dean's chest and the blood began to pour out, setting the blade on his lap then patting his shoulder before vanishing.

Dean distinctly felt the blade push through and the pure, red hot burn it left in its wake as it was pulled out. His lungs no longer seeming to work or needing to. Distantly feeling hot blood pouring out onto his lap and hands, splashing on the blade and coating it. His bright green eyes, the light slowly fading from them, recognized Meg's face and voice then Crowley's face as they quickly moved over to them. He couldn't figure out what they were saying, however.

"Don't….don't tell Sammy…." He managed to blurt, not wanting his brother to know he was dead, hoping that Crowley would figure something out. Crowley said something in response but he couldn't hear him over the rushing in his ears.

"Let him know I love him… " he breathed the words with the last bit of air to ever leave his lungs as his head slumped back against the Impala and he was gone.

"Holy shit… " Meg kept muttering, staring at Dean, never having believing that after everything Dean could actually die. She looked at Crowley but couldn't figure out why he wasn't freaking out.

"Open the door to the backseat." He ordered calmly.

"What?" she blurted.

"Open the back door of the Impala. Now." He answered, she gave him a confused look but got up and did so, turning in time to see Crowley carefully pick Dean up and walk over.

Crowley carefully laid Dean on the back seat of the car, not seeming to care that blood was smearing on his suit. Leaning over the dead man, he grabbed his hand and set the handle of the blade in it then pat the hand.

"You're not dead, Dean. You're going to wake up. When you do, I'll be right here. Everything's going to be okay. This is a new life, a better life. Where you're strong, you don't have to hurt, you don't have to shoulder everything by yourself. I promise. I'll show you the ropes and you'll thrive, Dean Winchester. You may have been a hero as a man but you are going to be a pure legend as a Knight." He said so that Meg couldn't hear him and then moved out of the car to stand next to her.

"Crowley… what was that about?..." she asked quietly.

"You'll see." He replied, hands in his coat pockets.

****( I'm aware that it took me FOREVER to get that chapter done. I couldn't help it. I started working and haven't had as much time. Plus, I couldn't decide how I wanted the chapter to end. I'm pretty pleased with this. Hope you guys like it. )** **


	22. Radioactive

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Christabelle Evring: **I'm glad to hear that! Sing all you like. Thank you for your input, I look forward to your reviews.

Twilight Zone

"_I'm waking up to ash and dust_

_I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust_

_I'm breathing in the chemicals_

_I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus_

_This is it, the apocalypse…" – Radioactive by Imagine Dragons _

Chapter 22: Radioactive

Every sense and every nerve in his body awoke before he did. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Crowley's voice was speaking. Long after the king had stopped speaking, the words continued to rattle around in his head. He could smell blood, leather, distant whiskey, sweaty, dirt, and other things he couldn't even begin to describe. As though his senses had gone into overdrive somehow.

Something in him was different. In a way far beyond any time before this. Somehow, someway, he felt no guilt. There was no fear, no worry, no panic, no confusion. Calm certainty was all that remained. He remembered everything but it didn't bother him that there was no pain in his chest and he didn't even really seem to need to breathe. Only doing so out of habit.

Dean felt the handle of the blade in his hand and it gave him a sense of being invincible as well as completely at peace. For the first time, in his entire life, his thoughts didn't even remotely linger on where Sam was or if he was okay. They skimmed right by, passing as soon as his eyes opened, revealing black orbs. He blinked and they returned to their usual green. Sitting up slowly, he stowed the blade in his jacket and moved out of the backseat of the car. Motions much more swift and silent than he ever would have been able to as a human. The only thing on his mind was Crowley, who was near the front of the Impala talking to Meg. Dean let the car door slam shut as his gaze lingered on them.

Meg and Crowley turned slowly, Meg looking as though her legs might give under her and Crowley staring in awe before widely grinning.

"Welcome to my world, Dean." Greeted Crowley in a cheerful tone of voice.

Xxxxxx

"Okay, that's it." Blurted Sam, grabbing his laptop and opening it.

"What are you doing?" asked Castiel, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm tracking Dean's cell phone. I'm not just gonna sit here and hope everything's okay." Retorted Sam, picking up his phone to call the company and say Dean's phone was lost. Cas watched him curiously for a few moments before sighing and standing once the younger Winchester had hung up.

"Sam, I have to do something. I have to go up to Heaven. Lucifer is going to destroy everything, I have to stop him somehow."

"Cas, you hardly have any grace left. A trip to Heaven would drain you completely. Just… stay with me. I might need your help. For all we know they're fighting Lucifer right now." Replied Sam, standing up as he saw the location. Cas hesitated for a moment, feeling a pull towards returning home but knowing Sam was right.

"Where do we go?" asked the angel.

"Well, first we gotta steal a car. Let's go." Said Sam, marching to the bunker's exit with Cas.

Xxxxxx

"You knew this would happen." Stated Dean, staring at Crowley who held up his hands in response.

"No, I didn't. It was an old legend, I didn't believe there was any truth to it until recently. Until I saw you starting to change." Answered Crowley, stepping over towards Dean.

"The no eating, constant drinking, no need for sleep?"

"That and more. I could see your soul changing, Dean." Said Crowley, being cautious, not entirely sure if Dean was pissed at him or not. Knowing there would be drastic changes to him and his responses now.

"So I'm a demon. Forever. Can't be killed."

"Correct. All perks included."

"And you plan on, how'd you put it… showing me the ropes?" asked Dean, brows raised slightly.

"I meant everything I said." Nodded Crowley, his own brows raising and a sense of relief flooding him as Dean's face suddenly split into a grin.

"Then what are we waiting for? I believe I'm entitled to some sin." Retorted Dean, drawing a surprised and suddenly gleeful look from Meg.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun…" she blurted, looking between the two of them.

"Your car. Take us somewhere to celebrate." Answered Crowley with a smile. Dean just smirked back, eyes flashing black for a moment as he walked around and got into the Impala. Meg and Crowley followed him into the car, the king in front riding shotgun.

Xxxxxx

The stolen SUV skidded to a stop in the grass right where the Impala had left tracks. Sam got out with Cas and both looked around, following the tracks to where Dean had parked the car.

"You see anything?" called Sam as Cas walked near the trees, looking for anything and anyone.

"No. I don't believe they're here, Sam." Answered Cas, continuing to look.

Sam opened his mouth to reply then caught sight of something that looked a bit like black water against a tree and on part of the grass. He walked over and crouched down, touching two fingers to the substance and then sniffing it. Swallowing nervously as he realized it was blood, he took a deep breath, praying it wasn't Dean's. Before he could finish his internal prayer, something else caught his eye. A cell phone, Dean's phone that had fallen out of his pocket when Lucifer turned the blade on him. Sam picked it up and turned it on, sure enough finding that it was Dean's. Standing slowly, he put the phone in his pocket and walked towards the car.

"Cas, come on. One of them is hurt and I found Dean's phone. They're probably on their way back to the bunker right now. Maybe even already there." Said Sam, hopping back into the SUV and peeling out of the grass once Cas got back in.

"I thought we drove the main way here. Did they know a different way to come back?" asked Castiel.

"I don't know, they could. There was a lot of blood on that tree, Cas." Replied Sam, tone somewhat shaky and nervous.

"You think it's Dean's."

"He's the only one dumb enough to think he could take on Lucifer all by himself just because of that stupid blade."

"Sam, if it is Dean, wouldn't Crowley or Meg simply teleport him back to the bunker and forget about the car?" asked Cas, the suggestion itself making the younger Winchester's gut twist as he realized they would've. They didn't care about the car and would've done that even through Dean's protesting if he was able to be protesting.

"Maybe they took him to the hospital."

"Still, they would have teleported, Sam."

"I know. Something's wrong." Replied Sam with a heavy sigh, knuckles white as he clutched the steering wheel, speeding towards the bunker.

Xxxxxx

Impala parked in a car garage at a hotel, the three stood in an elevator, on their way up to one of the penthouses Crowley had in his name. Once the doors opened and they stepped in, Meg slipped off her leather jacket and tossed it onto a chair.

"I think tonight's one of those sex, drugs, and rock n' roll nights. Don't you, boys?" she asked with a grin as she made her way over to the bar, grabbing a bottle of vodka. Dean smirked and slipped his jacket and flannel shirt off, wondering why in the hell he ever wore so many layers.

"Sounds about right. You don't happen to have some high end, party escorts on speed dial, do you, Crowley?" asked Dean, eager to see how different sex was in this form. Crowley looked at them both and chuckled.

"You're both finally speaking my language." He answered, pulling his phone out and stepping into another room. Dean made his way over to the bar and took a bottle of bourbon, opening it and taking a long drink.

"How you feelin, Deano?" asked Meg curiously, smiling.

"For the first time in my miserable fucking life… I feel great. I feel free. I shoulda joined the club a long time ago." Said Dean, taking another drink.

"I always thought you'd make a great demon, Dean. Honestly."

"I think you're just flirting with me." He retorted, eyes going black before he winked.

"Hey, you better watch that. I don't think that even the king's new pet is allowed to play with his girl. Though you are unfairly pretty." She winked back and tapped her bottle to his before taking another drink.

Crowley walked back out, coat and jacket gone, tie loosened, top three buttons of his shirt undone. He set three empty syringes on the table and strolled over to the bar, not expecting them to want to do blood later but knowing he'd probably want to.

"And what can I get you, handsome?" asked Meg in a low tone, reaching over and grabbing his tie to pull him closer. He obliged and met her lips with his own for a firm kiss before smirking at her.

"If you don't know what I drink, our relationship isn't going to work." He retorted.

"A glass of Craig coming right up." She said, turning to the wall of alcohol behind her. Crowley looked over at Dean.

"Your party favors are on their way. Won't be long." Said Crowley, eager to see how much of Dean was different now, how much had been altered.

"How many?" asked Dean, grabbing a shot glass.

"I got you three. Human. They're yours to do with as you please after we get them drugged and I get some of their blood." Retorted the King, knowing the newly Dean needed to take his demon lifestyle on a test run.

Xxxxxx

"Dean!?" shouted Sam, his roar of a voice ringing throughout the bunker as he and Cas made their way back inside, despite having not seen the Impala outside.

"Sam, I don't think he's here." Said Cas, moving a bit slower as guilt began to weigh on him. Sam ignored him and jogged down the hall to the bedrooms.

"Dean?! You here?!" he shouted again.

Castiel stayed silent and waited for Sam to come back to the main room before giving him a look equivalent to a dog that just peed on the couch and was about to get yelled at. Sam's brows furrowed and he stared for a few moments before finally speaking.

"Cas…" he said, almost in warning.

"I think I know what's happened. I could have prevented it…if I'd just told you sooner." Replied Cas in a quiet tone as he watched Sam go from confusion to anger. In that stage just before exploding. A stage he'd seen on the younger Winchester many times.

"Told. Me. What." Growled out Sam, stomach starting to churn, certain he was going to be sick.

"He was changing, Sam. The mark and the usage of the blade was changing him."

"Why are you saying that in past tense, Cas?"

"Because I think the process was completed. There is an old legend, one that has spread throughout Hell since the Cain and Abel situation. I don't know the details the way a demon would but the summary is that when Cain saw what the mark was turning him into, what Lucifer had pushed him into, he tried to kill himself with the blade." Cas began, explaining slowly and calmly even as Sam took a step closer to him.

"What happened?" he asked through grit teeth.

"Cain, human Cain…died. However, the mark brought him back. Only no longer as a human. As a demon. The first and the invincible Knight of Hell. More powerful than any other demon."

"Are you telling me my brother is a demon, now?..."

"Sam, I'm so sorry. I saw him changing, I was hit with every warning sign and still it did not click in my head what was going to happen. I could see his soul twisting. I'm telling you your brother is dead and what is walking in his skin now is the most evil version of him that could ever exist." Answered Cas, finding his eyes were welling up and not understanding why. Sam responded by grabbing him by the front of his coat and slamming him into the bookshelf.

"You're sorry?! That's all you have to say to me!? Dean's a demon, off with Crowley and Meg who knows where doing God knows what, and that's all you have to say?! Is sorry!?"

"Sam… please… we can save him. There has to be some way to save him, we will figure it out." Said Cas with a struggle, setting hands on Sam's shoulders. Sam took a few deep breaths and let go, taking a step back.

"This can't be happening. This isn't happening. Cas, you've gotta be wrong. Something else had to have gone down and they're dealing with it. Dean dropped his phone and just hasn't been able to contact us. I mean… Dean as a demon? That's preposterous. He's Michael's vessel. The most righteous and powerful archangel's vessel. I'm the cursed one. I'm the freak that had demon blood. I'm Satan's vessel. If one of us was going to go darkside, it was always going to be me. Not Dean. That's not how this is supposed to happen." Rambled Sam, trying to convince himself of this although the sickening feeling in his gut told him that Cas was right.

"Sam, you and Dean are practically mirror images of Cain and Abel. Abel, the younger brother who was tricked by the serpent, favored by Lucifer… who had to be killed to be saved. Cain, the older brother who went to the farthest extreme possible just to protect his little brother from miserable eternity. Who accepted being damned to save Abel." Said Cas softly, knowing Sam didn't want to hear this but that he needed to.

The room was silent for several minutes. Thoughts revenge and hatred towards Crowley going through Sam's head, certain that the king had known about this and planned for it all along. Panic at the thought that he might night even be able to save his brother. That after everything, everything they'd been through, he was going to lose Dean like this. Lose him to the same thing that destroyed their family and cursed them to be hunters in the first place.

"He can be saved?" asked Sam in a rough voice, distantly wondering if Mary and John were looking down on their sons in shame.

"Anyone can be saved, Sam. Even demons. As long as he's willing to endure the pain that's going to come with being purified. Which will be what you went through during the trials severely intensified. It's going to be like burning alive, down to the very soul. Not because of us but because of his own sins. It's the ultimate of facing up to your own sins. He has to want it, Sam. We can't just force it on him."

"I'll make him want it." Stated Sam, pure determination in his eyes.

"That is going to be far harder than we could comprehend. It is not like ingesting demon blood. There is no humanity left in him. He is pure sin. Lust, gluttony, wrath, pride… everything you've ever fought against. It is painless to have no humanity. He will not give it up just because you beg him to."

"I said I'll make him want it. How is it done?"

"The same thing you attempted to do to Crowley. The same cure. Except an angel has to do it, not a human."

"Then we find an angel who's a friend of yours, trap him, and make it happen."

"I can do it, Sam. I have enough grace left to do such." Answered Cas, giving the younger Winchester the same look of determination.

"Cas, you hardly have anything left. Won't it kill you?"

"No. It's not like other things." Lied Castiel, knowing that there was a massive chance it would kill him but wanting to go out saving his best friend rather than just wasting away miserably. Sam looked at him for a few moments then seemed satisfied with the answer.

"Alright. I'll clear out the dungeon then we'll start searching for him. Do me a favor and carve some devil's traps into a round of bullets for me." Said Sam, walking away to head to the dungeon, also intending to grab all the info he could about Cain, Abaddon, and Knights of Hell in general.

"I will do that." Answered Cas, giving a slight sigh of relief as Sam walked away.

Xxxxxx

The only lights on were dimmed and music was blaring out of speakers, two of the women called were dancing for Dean while the other was kissing along his neck. All three of them drugged on Ecstasy immediately after having blood drawn from them for Crowley's use. It made them surprisingly more comfortable with black or red eyes and fairly sadistic natures.

Crowley was paying no attention to any of the three women he ordered, fairly certain Dean would exercise what he learned from Alistair all those years ago once he'd had his fill of sex. The king, however, had drank a few bottles of his scotch and already used up two of his syringes. He was flying higher than anyone else in the penthouse at the moment.

Meg was on his lap, soaking in the intoxication of alcohol and drugs she'd pumped into her vessel. She was hardly hearing the music anymore but welcomed the extra noise. Both of them had been entertained to watch Dean for a while then became more focused on each other the more intoxicated they got. Now she was nuzzling against his beard and clumsily unbuttoning the rest of his shirt, sighing happily when she felt his hands moving up her jean-clad thighs and a soft purr leave his lips.

Dean paid his partners in crime no attention at this point, hand grabbing the woman kissing along his neck and moving her down. Watching her get the gist of his suggestion and begin to open his pants for him. One of the dancers moved over to kiss him and he slipped his tongue into her mouth as the other ran her hand through his hair slowly. Pure lust pumping through his veins in a way far too intense for it to be human lust. No, this was his first real taste of demon lust. It was far stronger, far more intense, insanely pure in its own filthy way.

Everything passing by and moving in blurs that most of them wouldn't remember later, this den of sin's temperatures increased tenfold. All clothing was forgotten on the floor as Dean took turns ravishing the three women mercilessly. On the other couch, Meg and Crowley moved together in a drugged yet passionate, slow lovemaking. Much the opposite of what was happening on the other side of the room. Panting and moaning from both sides of the room mingled and occasionally rose over the music.

Dean pushed and pushed, testing his new, relentless endurance and loving it. Finding sadistic pleasure in using and abusing the humans at his mercy. The same sort of feeling he'd had in the pit all those years ago when he was Alistair's prized student. Once he'd sated himself sexually, he tied each of the exhausted women up and pulled them into a room at the other end of the penthouse so their screaming wouldn't bother his king. Testing their limits of pain through brutal torture for hours before finally killing them. When he was done, he made his way back to the main part of the penthouse and turned the music off. Naked, covered in blood and sweat, he stepped over to the bar and turned off all the lights so only the moon shone in. Grabbing a half empty bottle of bourbon, he chugged like it was water then headed towards the couch he started on. Dean stared at the moon out the window and howled once with a chuckle as he pulled a blanket down over his lower half, taking another drink as he gazed.

Crowley and Meg were long done at this point, both still on the couch, her atop him, a blanket over them. His arms around her as they rested, both coming down from their highs. In the closest thing to sleep that a non-human can get to. Crowley snoring softly and Meg's head resting peacefully on his hairy chest.

Not for the first time that night, well, early morning at this point, Dean wondered why he hadn't given in earlier. Why he had fought tooth and nail to kill creatures like him and not become one. This was pure freedom. No strings, nothing held over your head. This was his heaven. Cain was right, Crowley was right. He was worthy.

Xxxxxx

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, little brother….You could've been so much smarter about this, you know that?" asked Lucifer, lounging against the other side of Metatron's cell door.

The other angel remained silent.

"Pout all you want, doesn't change that you're a fool." Stated Lucifer before walking out of the room. Soon making Metatron's entire perception change. Beginning with a mental torture, forcing his brother to believe he'd been transported to Hell, hounds howling in the distance, flames, blood, stone, heat everywhere.

He appeared in a different area of Heaven where those who'd already tried to mobilize against him were lined up. Glancing over at the guards who'd wisely sided with him, he gave a nod. Confusing the so called "prisoners of war", the guards simply vanished. Then Lucifer began to walk among the angels who found they could not escape where they were. The massacre began. Making Castiel's massacre while playing god look like a mere child lashing out. Heads popping off, wings burning and tearing out, chests exploding.

There were no quick deaths for these and he did not want them cleaned up. All of Heaven, all of his siblings would forever be able to see what he'd done here. Would forever know why he'd done it. Would forever be warned that if they moved against him, worse would happen to them.

Once he'd finished, he sighed happily and looked around at the mess. Things were already playing out exactly as he'd expected. It seemed, for once, that he was going to win.

****( I can't yet tell if that's a good chapter or not, I'm pleased with it but you guys let me know how you feel. I know I wrote it really fast but it all came to me at once. Thanks for reading, please leave a review on your way out. )** **


	23. Hysteria

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Christabelle Evring: **thank you, I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Lily: **thank you so much for staying with my story. Keep with it, it ain't over yet. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

**Author's Note: **I'm going to have the majority, if not all of this chapter focus on Meg, Crowley, and Dean. I just feel that with the new situation, they need a whole chapter of focus right now.

**Warning: **lots of sexual themes and some actual sex in this chapter. It is rated M, I wouldn't think I'd have to warn but I am.

Twilight Zone

"_Out of touch, out of reach yeah _

_You could try to get closer to me _

_I'm in luck, I'm in deep, yeah _

_Hypnotized, I'm shakin' to my knees…" – Hysteria by Def Leppard _

Chapter 23: Hysteria

Crowley came fully back into consciousness to find Meg was gone. Distantly wondering where she went, he relaxed knowing that she'd be back. It was quiet, a peaceful sort of quiet, which was strange considering the events the night before. He moved off of the couch with a groan and snapped his fingers once, making one of his suits appear on him, with the exception of a tie. Rubbing his face, he strolled towards the bar.

"Have fun, did you?" he asked, blinking at Dean who was sitting there drinking whiskey already. The Winchester grinned at him.

"Oh, yeah. What about you, _sire_?" he asked, half mocking the king, earning himself a slightly annoyed squint in response.

"I assume so. Don't remember all that much. Things get fuzzy when the blood gets in my system. You been drinkin this whole time?" asked Crowley, walking behind the bar for a glass and a bottle of Craig.

"Drinkin and thinkin. A man's gotta have hobbies." Retorted Dean, being completely honest. Though his thoughts had ranged and bounced around from matters human Dean would consider important to simple changes he could already tell about himself. One of those changes he wasn't sure of yet, begin to drift back through his mind at this moment.

"Some would say it's a bad idea to be deep in thought while intoxicated." Sighed Crowley, clearly not entirely awake, so to speak. Mind and body just wanting to be lazy. Not noticing much as he took a drink of his scotch.

"Yeah, well, I find I'm a lot more level headed with a few drinks in my system. Plus, that's a human problem. Not really mine anymore." Said Dean, standing up, watching the king.

"Makes sense." Replied Crowley, not paying all that much attention at the moment. He finished his glass and walked back around the bar, never remotely expecting what happened next.

Dean waited for him to walk around the bar then grabbed him by the front of his jacket and shirt, taking two steps and pinning him back against a wall. Crowley's eyes widened, certainly giving his full attention at this point, expecting Dean to pull the blade out and make demands or simply kill him. The new knight just stared at him for a few moments, eyeing him. Just as Crowley was starting to calm down, still confused, but calming, Dean suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips firmly against his king's.

Crowley gave a muffled noise of pure shock but made absolutely no attempt to break the kiss or push Dean away. After all, to him this was a surprise, just not a bad one. The king's hand slipped into Dean's short hair and returned the kiss, gratefully finding that the rumors were true, that Dean was one hell of a kisser. The knight simultaneously discovering the same about his king. After a few short moments, Dean pulled back, appearing to be in thought about what just happened.

"Care to explain?..." asked Crowley, eyebrows raised as he looked at Dean.

"Human me was bi-curious, but never enough so that I actually tried it. Or human me just wasn't willing enough to try it. I don't know if it's a demon thing or what but I've been wantin to do that since last night."

"What's really funny is that you think human you hid that really well." Chuckled Crowley, eyeing Dean openly.

"I did." Argued Dean, that Winchester stubbornness still present, even in this form.

"No, you did not. I could see right through it. I could see right through that John Wayne act to the main event of a bisexual submissive who ached to be handcuffed to a bed." Retorted Crowley, chuckling again and smugly slipping his hands into his pants pockets.

"You think I'm still submissive…that's funny."

"Oh, yes. See, a person's inner lust and deeply buried sexual desires are brought firmly to the surface, brazenly shown when they become a demon. Some would say it's part of defining a demon, part of embodying sin. The sin of lust." Said Crowley, leaning his head back against the wall and still eyeing Dean.

"So you say."

"Oh, Dean…you can't fool me. I recognized that naughty little masochist in you from day one. I've been around long enough to be able to see these things in people. Lucky for you, despite my outward nature, I'm quite the dominant sadist." Purred the King with a smug smirk.

"Lucky for me? You're more arrogant than I thought if you assume I was that impressed with a single kiss." Retorted Dean, ignoring the excited and arousing chills slowly moving down his spine.

"Now you sound like Meg. Both of you are pathetically terrible liars."

"We're the liars? You think you're the only playboy who can see straight through and know when someone wants him? I saw exactly the way you looked at me from day one when Sam and I broke into your place to get the Colt. It's partly why I wanted to tear your throat out for a few years."

"Hmm. Yet since you and Sammy tried to cure me… Well, Dean, it's almost like we've been dating. Some roleplaying and foreplay in the dungeon, I save your brother for you, a romantic trip to find Cain…" drawled Crowley, moving off of the wall and towards him, lazily grabbing the front of Dean's belt. Surprised to find that Dean was actually allowing it, he pulled him into one of the bedrooms.

"What are you doing?..." asked Dean gruffly as he was pulled, hearing the door shut behind them.

"One of the very great things about being a demon is that you are no longer ashamed of your darker desires. Whether they be murder, theft, mental torture, or sexual deviance. It becomes your nature to embrace them rather than hide them. It frees you to be what you always secretly wanted but were scared to be judged for. So, shall we see how far that curiosity of yours goes?" asked Crowley, undoing Dean's belt with one hand slowly.

Dean answered this by slowly leaning in, nudging Crowley's collar aside and touching lips to his neck. He was rewarded with a low groan that was very near a slight growl as the king pulled Dean's belt off of him and let it drop to the floor. The knight's hands gripped the lapels of Crowley's jacket and pushed it off of his shoulders as he nipped in-between kisses. Crowley pulled away enough in order to yank Dean's shirt off before turning them and shoving the man back onto the bed, eyeing him hungrily as he moved over, knees resting between Dean's legs.

Leaning down, the king's lips pressed to the skin just above Dean's belly button, eyes looking up to watch his face. Dean inhaled sharply and slid a hand into Crowley's hair, his other hand reaching lower to grab the king's shirt and yank it open, sending buttons flying. Crowley nipped the skin and one of his hands moved up, unbuttoning and unzipping Dean's jeans. Sitting up, he pulled the denim off of him slowly and let his own shirt slip off before moving back up to press his lips firmly to Dean's.

Xxxxxx

Meg sat at a distance, watching the ridiculously tall man and the slowly dying angel as they ate. She'd watched them all day as they went asking around and searching for Dean or Crowley or her. They knew enough that if they found one of them, they'd be able to find the other two.

She wasn't here to simply watch them. She had needed to get away, to get time to herself to think. Things had changed. Drastically. Not Dean being a demon or her being back. It was Lucifer. Her God. Despite everything, that was still her God. Azazel was one thing, just another pawn, she knew that. The Devil, though…Her reason for existing.

This was the equivalent of being handed all she'd ever wanted. The angels would be the exact same of God returned. She was conflicted. Yes, she cared about Crowley, loved him in the way a demon could love. But Lucifer was her everything. At this point, she found herself a lot less worried about being around Crowley. She wanted to throw herself at the devil's feet, proclaim her loyalty, proclaim her love, earn his affections in return.

The thoughts had begun to spin in her mind when she got up this morning. Really dwelling on them. Part of her began to wonder if the decent side she had that cared about Crowley was changed in the Hell she had been in. The Hell reserved for dead demons. It was either that or simply Lucifer being here completely changed everything. She knew how it went with her lover. Back and forth from fighting to sex, fighting to sex. Never steady, never certain. She always felt as though it was one-sided. For as strong as Crowley was, as determined as he could be…on the inside, he was just the saddest and most broken being she'd ever met. She wasn't in any position to help him. Deep down, as much as she cared, she didn't want to help him. She truly believed it wouldn't ever work. That she'd just try and try and try for decades only for him to keep sinking.

Lucifer, on the other hand. He was strong. So strong inside and out that it terrified and amazed her. Truly worth being called her God. If she was going to serve, support, help anyone. He was worth it.

Heaving a sigh, she decided that she couldn't finalize what she was going to do until she saw that her hunch was correct. She knew, over the years, how much Crowley wanted Dean's attention, how desperately he wanted to at least be his friend. She also knew that becoming a demon can drastically change someone, making things that never would've been attempted be completely normal.

She wanted to leave, but she cared too much to leave him all alone. She had to be sure.

Xxxxxx

Both of them heard Meg appear and turned to look at her knowing expression. Dean and Crowley were only in boxers at this point, both seeming a tad startled to be interrupted at such sensitive moment.

"I suppose I'll leave you two at it…" she stated in an amused tone. Dean gave somewhat of a sheepish grin, one that was cute and a lot like his human self, really.

"Or you could join us." He replied, earning a slightly confused look from Crowley. Meg thought on it for a few moments then decided why not? She was settled now, it was only fair she had a goodbye night with them.

"Now, I can't turn down an offer like that…" she answered with a smirk, starting to strip off her clothes as she made her way over to them. Crowley slightly squinted at her as she began to undress, moving to lay next to Dean and watch her.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Meg." He purred with a smirk as she moved over to them, climbing onto the bed.

She leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to Dean's lips, smiling into the kiss when she felt Crowley press his lips to her shoulder. Pulling away from Dean, she moved and straddled the king, one hand moving down to push his boxers off as she captured his lips with her own. The knight sat up and removed his own last item of clothing before between Crowley's legs behind Meg, leaning in and brushing his lips along the soft skin of her neck. Dean's hands slowly drifted down her sides to her hips then back up and around, gently cupping her breasts.

Meg moaned in response, her earlier thoughts and plans forgotten as Crowley's hands also settled on her skin, possessively gripping her hips. This was already better than she had imagined, having both of their strong hands roaming her body but neither fighting over control. Reaching down, she gently grasped the king's hard length, lifting her hips as she guided it to her core, releasing a loud and shaky moan as she slowly slipped down on him. His own soft sigh and moan mingled with hers, watching her sit up on him fully, slightly leaning back into Dean while rolling her hips once.

Dean began trailing kisses along her neck as one of his hands spread lubricant on his own hard length, eyes catching Crowley's as he started breathing a little heavier. Gently, he pressed his thumb into her, nipping her neck when she let out a stuttered moan in response. Dean moved his thumb slowly, keeping it at the pace the other two had already set.

After a few moments had passed, Dean removed his thumb and placed his tip at her entrance. Meg stilled her hips and quickly reached back, slipping her hand in the knight's hair and tightly gripping as he slowly pushed in, allowing her a chance to adjust. A breathy groan left both Dean and Crowley as they felt their pressure on each other's lengths through her. Once she began to move again, Crowley thrust up to meet her pace, Dean moving slowly and gently with them.

Groans, moans, and whimpers mingled in the room as the air became humid, the temperature hotter. Meg's nails dug into the back of Dean's head and the skin of Crowley's chest, leaving bloody trenches when the pace picked up, thrusts becoming harder and faster from both of the men. Eventually, Crowley sat up and pressed his lips to hers again, the two sharing a rough and forceful kiss ending in nipping at each other. When they separated, she turned her head to see him capture Dean's lips with his own, his hand covering hers on the back of the knight's head.

As Dean returned the kiss, continuing to move and moaning into Crowley's mouth, he distantly wondered if lust of this magnitude was what fueled the fires of hell alone. They were gripping, clawing, kissing, licking, biting at every inch of each other they could reach. Hips all moving together at a rough pace. Moaning and growling like wild animals, carrying on so much longer than any humans could.

Finally, Meg was nearing her third release, both of her arms slipping around Crowley to grip and claw, feeling Dean's sweaty chest press against her back as the knight bit her neck.

"Oh, fuck… oh… " she panted and moaned into the king's ear, earning a groan in response as he bucked up.

Meg attempted crying out Crowley and Dean's name at the same time, the result being a jumbled, unintelligible mix of both as she came, clamping impossibly tightly around both of their lengths. Dean lost control as she did so, bucking one last time, holding himself deep as he released, a ragged moan leaving him in the process. Crowley followed suit, biting down hard enough to break skin on Meg's neck as he hit his own ecstasy, moaning loudly against her skin.

All three explosions final and complete, they stayed like that for a few more moments. Sweaty bodies clutching each other and catching their breath. Eventually, Dean carefully pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to them. Meg moved off of the king slowly and did the same, settling between them, her hand resting to cup Crowley's bearded cheek before she turned to face Dean. Both men moved to their sides and set an arm over her, each slowly drifting off for a little while to recover.

Xxxxxx

Dean's eyes snapped open when he heard movement at the end of the bed. Turning and lifting his head, he saw Meg dressing and preparing to leave. She looked over when he moved and he watched her sigh.

"Where you goin?" he asked in a whisper, noticing that Crowley was still out for now.

"Away. I've got stuff to do." She answered quietly and shortly, pulling her jacket on.

"Like what?"

"Personal stuff. I need some me time." She snapped in a whisper.

"Sure you do. You're not comin back are you?" asked Dean, feeling a bit of anger in his gut, not aware that that was because he knew that this would hurt Crowley. Also, though he wouldn't admit it, he was becoming attached to both of them. Not just the king.

"I don't know yet. I'm sure we'll all see each other again. Fate tends to work like that." She replied, looking at him then at the sleeping king. Before Dean could say anything else or try to stop her or wake up Crowley, she vanished.

Dean ran a hand through his hair with a sigh before laying back again, looking up at the fan as it spun lazily. Turning his head, he looked at Crowley. A very human feeling that he thought he'd lost seemed to rise in him somewhat and he moved closer to the king, slipping his arms around him and holding him. It took a while and he didn't think it would end up happening but he did drift back off for a short while.

Xxxxxx

Cas sat on the edge of the hotel bed, in thought. It was the early hours of the morning and Sam was asleep, or so he thought. The angel was watching the shadows from the moonlight hitting the tree outside.

"Why don't you sleep?" mumbled Sam, tiredly, laying facedown but head turned to see what the angel was doing.

"I don't need to." Lied Cas, not wanting to address the real issue.

"Don't need to and don't want to are very different."

"Fine. I don't want to sleep." Admitted Cas, turning to look at the hunter. Sam rubbed his face and sat up in bed, leaning back against the headboard.

"I kinda don't either. Even if I did, I don't think I could." Said Sam, then stifling a yawn. Reaching over, he grabbed the soda on the table next to the bed, taking a long drink.

"Because you're worried about Dean."

"Yeah. I assume that's your issue, too?..."

"Mostly." Replied Cas, standing up and getting a bottle of water from their mini fridge.

"Okay, so what's your other issue? The Lucifer running heaven thing? I'd be lying if I said that wasn't weighing on me at least partially."

"Partly that."

"Cas, was wrong? Maybe I can help." Said Sam, watching Castiel turn to him.

"I'm scared, Sam. I'm scared that if I fall asleep, I will wake up human, no grace, no way to help Dean. No way to stop Lucifer from destroying everything." Confessed Cas, taking a long drink of water then moving back to the bed.

"You're not gonna wake up human, Cas. I promise. We're gonna tackle all these problems just like we always do. Same old story, just different monsters." Said Sam, laying back down when Cas finally did the same on the other bed.

"You sound like Dean. When he's scared and lying for other people's benefit." Stated Cas before going silent for the rest of the night.

Sam didn't say anything in response, realizing that the angel was right. He was terrified. No matter how strong his will was or how determined he was to get his brother back, doubt was crushing him. He eventually heard Cas snoring but he didn't end up falling asleep.

****( Okay, some heavy shit happened, I know. I hadn't thought I'd take anything into a slash direction but… I've started shipping it so hard and I just can't help myself. It's perfect to me. Anyhow, thank you for reading, please leave a review on your way out )** **


	24. You're The Devil In Disguise

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**Author's Note: **So, clearly, you should assume anything I said at the very beginning of this story is a complete lie. I had stated it wouldn't have anything to do with current timeline, now it does. I had stated that there would be no slash action, there will be. I wasn't trying to lie to you guys, I just was very wary about how to go about my first SPN fic. Now that I'm much more comfortable, I feel okay with spreading out and trying new things.

Twilight Zone

"_I thought that I was in Heaven _

_But I sure was surprised_

_Heaven help me, I didn't see_

_The devil in your eyes…" – (You're the) Devil In Disguise by Elvis Presley_

Chapter 24: You're The Devil In Disguise

Slowly returning to full consciousness, Crowley found himself mildly confused. He remembered passing out with Meg pressed against him, but the scent reaching his nose right now was clearly Dean. Only Dean. Still partially asleep, feeling lazy, and being genuinely cuddly (though he'd doubtfully ever admit it), he scooted closer and was content to find his head resting against Dean's chest. The knight's arms around him giving a sense and feeling of something he hadn't had, ever, really. After a short period of attempting to figure out what that feeling and sense was, he realized he felt safe, he felt protected. He felt as though he didn't have to watch his own back, that the knight holding him would do that for him.

Dean, still awake, pulled his head back to look at the king and see if he was awake or just moving in his sleep. Noticing his eyes slowly blinking open, he ran his fingers through the hair at the back of Crowley's head.

"Meg's gone." Muttered Dean, lacking tact at the moment.

"What?" asked Crowley, pulling his head back and looking at Dean, eyebrows furrowed.

"She left. No intention of coming back. I'm guessing this means she broke up with you." Chuckled Dean, finding this at least a little amusing despite knowing Crowley may be upset.

"For the what? 196th time?" Crowley snapped back with an annoyed sigh and a roll of his eyes.

"I don't think she'll come back this time. Seemed pretty final. I'd know, trust me."

"You don't know her as well as I do. For her it's always the 'I won't be coming back' speech. She tries to convince herself harder than anyone else. Give it six months. She'll be back." Said Crowley, rubbing his face with one hand and yawning once.

"Eh, whatever. I say you get over it real quick and we go raise a little Hell." Replied Dean, rolling to his back and locking his fingers behind his head.

"Eager to howl at that moon, are you?" inquired Crowley, giving the knight a curious look.

"Always." Dean smirked at him.

"No lazy morning sex or steamy shower fun first? I'm disappointed in you. Here I thought you were a wild playboy." Teased Crowley, winking before moving off of the bed and strolling to the bathroom.

"You sure you're not an incubus or something?" called Dean, hearing the shower start running.

"I think the proper term is manwhore." The king shouted back, laughing softly. Dean chuckled again and got out of bed, walking over to the bathroom in time to see the shower door shut.

"Whatever the term, you're a horny bastard." Stated Dean, closing the bathroom door and then stepping into the shower behind the king.

"Don't pretend you don't like it." Retorted Crowley, facing Dean but head bowed down, the hot water splashing on his neck and loosening tense muscle. He did, indeed, wear his stress.

"How do you know what I like or don't like?" asked the knight, stepping closer and touching fingers to the underside of his chin, bringing Crowley's head up.

"Because I know you, Squirrel." Teased the king, giving him a sly grin before slipping a hand to the back of the knight's neck, pulling him in before he could get out a snappy retort.

Dean let him pull him into the kiss, gently pressing their lips together. Crowley's hand moved into his hair and he turned, back now pressing against the wet shower wall.

Xxxxxx

Sam and Cas had split up, both investigating different leads about Dean's location. Returning to the shabby motel sooner than the angel, Sam sighed as he shut the door behind him. Grabbing a beer from the fridge he opened it and closed his eyes as he took a long drink. When the silence was broken, he dropped it, the glass thudding and beer spilling on the cheap carpet. He dropped it not because he was too startled by the voice, but because he immediately recognized the voice from almost every nightmare he'd had for the past few years.

"Hiya, Sam." Were the simple words spoken by the soft but powerful tone. The bottle hit the floor and Sam turned to see the familiar fallen angel leaning against the wall.

"How did you get in here?" demanded Sam, voice gruff and angry, a hint of fear within.

"Oh, come on. You think your little hex bags can hide you from me? You're still my true vessel, Sam, I can find you anywhere."

"Bullshit. Cas branded my and Dean's ribs a long time ago."

"That was before you went to Hell, Sam. Before you came back, before multiple ribs were broken in multiple fights over the years. All it takes is a single broken line or a tiny smudge to undo warding. You should know that." Explained Lucifer, smiling at the hunter.

"Where is my brother, you son of a bitch?"

"Still with that anger… If I were you, I wouldn't go searching for Dean."

"Why?"

"Because you won't like what you find, Sam. I don't want you to hurt. I never did."

"Cut the bullshit and tell me where he is. It doesn't matter that he's a demon, he's my brother." Stated Sam, glaring at the devil. Lucifer suddenly let his head fall back and laughed for a few, short moments.

"Oh, I see. You think you're going to cure him."

"I am. I won't let him waste away like this."

"Sam, Sam, Sam…he's not wasting away. He's free. For the first time in his miserable life, he's on our side of things. Silenced conscience, buried in sin, no weight on his shoulders, powerful. Are you so selfish that you would deny him this? You prefer him as a miserable, self-loathing, pitiful, hairless ape?" asked Lucifer, taking a few steps towards Sam, his head slightly tilted as he gazed at the hunter.

"This isn't a blessing. He needs his humanity. That is what makes him strong." Argued Sam gruffly, not taking any steps back away from the devil.

"His humanity? Sam, you're smarter than that. Humanity is weakness. It's doubt. In yourself, in the plan set before you, in your decisions, in everything. With all those feelings tacked on, that's a true Hell. Look how many of you are so easily swindled into going to the pit. How many openly deny God's existence when we angels walk among them. How many willingly sell their soul to become a demon in turn for fame or riches. You're gullible lumps of putty. I pity you."

"You can take your speech about hating Daddy's new favorites and shove it up your ass, Lucifer. Whatever it is you're here for, spit it out. I've got things to do."

"Like what? Finding Dean? Curing Dean? How do you plan to complete that monumental task, Sam? Castiel's grace is fading out to nothing."

"He has enough for this."

"Did he tell you that using up what he has for this will kill him?" asked Lucifer, raising his chin, his eyes meeting Sam's.

"You're lying."

"I told you a long time ago, Sam. I'll never lie to you. Ever. I don't have to lie."

"For the last time, what the hell do you want?" growled Sam, not wanting to believe him, wanting him gone.

"Just to see you. It's been a long time. I missed you."

"Kiss my ass."

"Still so welcoming and polite. I'll see you again soon, Sam." Chuckled Lucifer, giving him a smile and a wink before vanishing with a distant flutter of wings.

Sam took a deep breath and calmed his inner storm before grabbing a towel to clean up the mess he'd made. He didn't want to believe what the devil said but, unfortunately, that was the sort of nightmarish fact that would be true. Mulling this over, he lay a towel on the wet spot of the carpet to soak it up, just as the door opened and another angel walked in.

"Sam, I- " began Cas. Sam thought he had calmed down but he really hadn't.

"You got something you need to tell me, Cas?" asked Sam, clear anger in his tone.

"Yes, that's why I rushed back." Answered Cas, confusion etched into his expressions.

"That's not what I mean. I mean about this cure. This cure for Dean. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Of course not." Lied Cas, feeling the back of his neck get hot as Sam's gaze didn't waver.

"Really? Cause I heard that with your grace fading the way it is, that curing him will kill you."

"I'm not sure where you heard that but it isn't true."

"I don't know, Cas, I think an archangel probably knows what they're talking about."

"Which archangel would that be, Sam? Lucifer? The serpent? You would trust him over me?" countered Cas, now defensive and finding himself very annoyed.

"He was inside my head, we shared the same body once. Plus, I'm made in his image, right? I think I know him pretty well and I believe him when he says he doesn't have to lie." Argued Sam, voice starting to rise in volume.

"What does it matter if it does kill me? What good am I, Sam?!"

"You think Dean would survive that? You think he wants to be revived at the cost of someone else's life again, Cas?!"

"It is the only way to save him!" shouted Castiel, feeling what was left of his grace trembling with his anger.

"What if he doesn't need saved?" asked Sam, voice calmer, looking down before meeting the angel's blue eyes.

"What are you talking about? He's a demon. Of course he needs saved."

"He's been through Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. Been tempted by or a creature of each. Eventually, one of them is going to keep him, Cas. You can't just bounce around between the three forever. Eventually, one gets you. In his case, it's Hell."

"You cannot be serious, Sam." Stated Cas, tone low.

"Think about it, Cas…He was almost full demon when you pulled him out of Hell. He was already on his way there. Look at the rage and the warrior nature he holds in him. Maybe…maybe he was meant to be this. Maybe this is a mercy to him." Explained Sam, swallowing down the pain at the possibility. He wasn't sure if it was Lucifer's words that got him thinking like this or if he had been contemplating it all along.

"Regardless, we still have to find him." Stated Cas after a short silence.

Sam didn't answer, he only picked up the wet towel and grabbed a new beer. Mind reeling, he sat down on the bed.

Xxxxxx

Hearing the prayers, the calls sent to him, Lucifer curiously appeared in an empty clearing, much like the one where he'd recently stabbed Dean. Standing before him was the demon he'd been let out to rescue. Surveying her with his cold gaze, he gave a smile.

"What is it, child?" he asked in a fatherly tone.

"Please let me serve you. It's what I was created for, what I was born to do."

"Well….either you are very loyal to me or this is some sort of trick. Crowley went through a lot of trouble trusting me, simply to have you returned to him."

"It's not a trick. I'm not his pet. I belong to you, father." She replied in a tone that was near begging.

"Hm. What if I don't want you? Say, I don't have any use for you? What then?" he asked, brows raised, beginning to pace around her slowly.

"Then have the mercy to kill me. Please. I can't exist without a purpose. You're my purpose. You've always been my reason, my everything." She replied with such force that it almost sounded like a verbal attack.

"You cannot enter Heaven, Meg. The only use I would have for you concerns Hell and a bit of earth."

"I don't care what you have me doing, father. I'll do it to the very best of my abilities."

"Very well. I have a task for you already, then." He stated with a grin that would've made anyone else's spine chill and shudder. Meg eagerly nodded and stepped forward.

"What is it, father?"

"Do not, under any circumstances, let Castiel and Sam cure Dean Winchester. I have plans for all three of them and that would ruin everything. Do you understand?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. She hesitated, not believing this was what he wanted and feeling rather daunted at the task then nodded.

"Yes, father. I won't let it happen." She answered, smiling when she saw him smile, feeling immensely proud of herself. Lucifer smiled back at her, a glint in his blue eyes.

"Good." He answered before a flutter of wings signaled his exit.

Xxxxxx

The only visibility of the shower through the swarm of steam was a set of hands and a forehead pressed firmly against the misty glass door. The cascade of water raining down on two bodies and the drain was mingled with constant, ragged, loud moans from the two men inside. Not long after the water began to go from warm to cool, the cries of pleasure reached their ends as the king cried out his knight's name, followed by the knight's rough grunt.

The cool, slowly turning cold, water helped lower body temperatures as Dean pulled out, letting go of Crowley's hip and his now limp member. The king slowly stood up fully and turned to Dean, pulling him close and connecting their lips. The knight groaned softly then broke the kiss, starting to chuckle softly.

"Something funny, squirrel?" asked Crowley, starting to chuckle himself and not entirely sure why.

"Irony, I think. Never thought the day would come that we'd fuck in the shower." Retorted Dean, absentmindedly slipping his fingers through his king's wet hair.

"Well, is shower sex all that complicated, smart ass?" answered Crowley, giving him a smug look. Dean laughed and reached over, shutting the water off.

"Not as a demon, it ain't." he replied as Crowley opened the shower door and stepped out, grabbing a towel.

"Ah, now I just want to go back to bed." Sighed Crowley, quickly drying off then walking out of the bathroom.

"Lazy ass. Let's go raise some hell instead. Gotta be a casino or strip club around here somewhere." Called Dean as he dried off then followed the king out, starting to get dressed.

"You know you can do that in a blink, don't you?" asked Crowley, fully in one of his fancy suits and leaning against the wall, watching Dean.

"I've been a demon for literally less than a week, dick." Retorted Dean, pulling a t-shirt on. Crowley rolled his eyes at him, slightly smirking.

"That's no excuse, asshat."

"Bite me, douchebag." Retorted Dean, amusement in his tone rather than the anger that would usually accompany a statement like that.

"Jerk." Stated Crowley, squinting at him.

"Bitch." Replied Dean, half a smirk on his face as he walked right past Crowley and out of the room.

***(( there's that. Hope you guys are still sticking with me, sorry this chapter took so long. Thank you for reading, please leave a review on your way out))* **


	25. Blood On My Name

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

"_When the fires, when the fires have surrounded you_

_With the hounds of Hell comin after you_

_I've got blood, I've got blood on my name_

_When the fires, when the fires are consuming you_

_And your sacred stars won't be guiding you_

_I've got blood, I've got blood…blood on my name." – Blood On My Name by The Brothers Bright_

Chapter 25: Blood On My Name

Locking the door to their motel room, Sam and Castiel started out on the sidewalk. Someone had seen a woman who looked like Meg in the area so they had assumed that Dean and Crowley were nearby. The only way to find them was to wander, honestly.

"You think Crowley has a place out here? Like an apartment or a house nearby?" asked Sam, thinking aloud more than really asking the angel.

"I'm not sure. If he does, it's likely well hidden. You know how hard it is to find him if he doesn't want to be found."

"So, when someone becomes a demon, what does that do to their interests? Does it change them?"

"Not necessarily. More or less, it makes their sinful interests, their vices more prominent. For example a man who simply enjoys prostitutes once a week, when he becomes a demon, he'll want his own harem to engage in lust whenever he pleases."

"Okay. Well, Dean likes drinking, strippers, gambling, and fighting. We'll go into that gas station and ask if there's a strip club or popular bar nearby."

"Sam, what is the point if you don't intend to let me cure him?" asked Cas, in a curious tone rather than an annoyed one.

"I don't know yet. I just have to find him." Answered Sam, walking into the gas station and approaching the counter.

Xxxxxx

The lights flashed in sync with the music blaring from speakers all around the building, Dean sat right up by the stage, eyes on the woman working the pole as he tossed dollar bills at her. He didn't look up as Crowley walked over and set a beer down in front of him, taking a drink of his own. As the woman moved closer, the knight became bolder, reaching out and physically placing money in her bra. She gave him a warning look but said nothing, glancing at Crowley as he gave her a smirk and a wink before leaning in towards Dean.

"I do believe it's against the rules to touch the merchandise…" he purred softly by Dean's ear.

"I do believe I don't give a rat's ass." Retorted Dean, grinning with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Crowley simply gave a slight nod and leaned back in his seat, eyes roaming Dean momentarily before he looked back at the woman on the stage and took a drink.

A bouncer from the back of the room took a few steps towards them slowly, watching as Dean reached up and did it again, this time tucking some money in the stripper's g-string. Crowley noticed and assumed Dean did as well so he said nothing, just scooted his chair a few inches away, watching his knight curiously. Reaching out after that, his fingertip hooked under the thin waistband and then let it snap against her skin. She retaliated by smacking at his hand, glaring and then just stomping off the stage. Dean laughed even as he felt a massive hand settle on his shoulder.

"Let's go, asshole." Growled the burly man standing behind the chair. Dean looked over at Crowley, the two sharing eye contact for a moment before a smirk settled on the knight's face as his eyes went black.

Xxxxxx

Having walked through one strip club already, Sam and Cas (who was fairly distracted and confused as to why), crossed the street quickly to head to another one.

"We probably should've brought the car…" muttered Sam, then sighing as he glanced at his friend.

"It would be even better if I had more grace." Answered Cas in a low voice. Sam ignored his comment and kept walking, eyes scanning for any sign of Crowley or Dean. Before they could get too much farther, however, they stopped at stared at the chaotic scene developing just outside a strip club across the street.

Men were piling out of the place, fighting each other and breaking things. It was like a Western saloon brawl, except they seemed to mostly be focused on one guy in the middle of the bunch. A guy who was easily throwing the other men around like ragdolls, beating them into the ground, and causing enough damage for a few emergency hospital trips.

Xxxxxx

Crowley had backed away but soon had to stand and move farther away as Dean hit the massive bouncer once and knocked him out cold. Other bouncers heading for him immediately, a few guys nearby realizing what was going on and dropping their drinks to join in. Chairs began to fly across the property, tables busting, the women screaming as they ran to hide backstage, beer bottles being busted, glass used as knives.

Dean was enjoying himself immensely, taking on each and every contestant with ease. Crowley mainly stayed out of it, anytime someone came at him he simply waved his hand and sent them flying across the room. Finding himself concerned about his suit getting dirty or torn up, he finally made his way to the exit and opened the doors. The brawlers soon followed, along with Dean.

As they all piled out onto the sidewalk and part of the road, neither Dean nor Crowley seemed to notice that Sam and Cas were on their way over.

Xxxxxx

Before Sam even could see Dean, he knew that his brother was the source of the fight. Something in his gut just yanked him towards the mess of a brawl, knowing in his heart that it was Dean. When he saw his face, however, his brisk walk turned into a run. He didn't even notice that Cas was right behind him, moving more tentatively.

Sam didn't think. He just dove right in. Tugging away the brawlers that weren't unconscious or possibly dead. Pushing them back to reach his brother and stop the fight.

Dean looked up, ready to hit the next guy coming at him. His fist clenched and raised to swing then his entire body froze. For the first time since he'd become demon, it seemed he had a conscience again. Something about seeing Sam just shut everything down and all he could do was stare.

"Dean…" blurted Sam, breathing heavily and ignoring the chill that went down his spine as he stared at his brother's black eyes.

"Sammy?" replied Dean in a gruff whisper, fist lowering absentmindedly. Crowley's eyes widened and he debated about running, vanishing, leaving before Sam and Cas could lash out at him. Before he could even make up his mind, though, he found his feet and powers wouldn't move. He couldn't make himself leave Dean, even if it meant he was going to get a beating.

"I highly recommend we leave the general vicinity." Stated Crowley, cautiously stepping forward as he heard the police sirens in the distance.

"Unfortunately, he's right." Added Castiel, glaring at the king. Crowley moved right over to Dean and set a hand on his shoulder. Before he could vanish with his knight, Sam reached out and grabbed Dean to tag along. Cas acting quickly with gripping Sam's coat for the same reason.

The four vanished from sight, reappearing in the hotel room Crowley was using with Dean. The entire group stumbled slightly, Cas nearly toppling over as they appeared. Crowley briefly thought about vanishing again and taking just Dean with him somewhere else but realized this confrontation had to happen sometime.

As the king turned and faced the two that had tagged along, he opened his mouth to speak. Before any words were let out, however, Sam's massive fist collided with his face. Sight blocking out momentarily, he fell back against the wall, feeling his nose start to bleed. Consciously returning to the situation at hand, he watched Dean shove Sam to the other side of the room with one hand. Castiel quickly stepped between the brothers.

"Enough!" he ordered in a raised voice, getting both the Winchesters to at least stop swinging at each other.

"Goddammit, Crowley, I will rip your heart out for this!" shouted Sam, glaring at the king.

"For what, you misshapen Yeti?!" Crowley shouted back, equally as angry now that he'd been hit.

"Sam, he didn't know this would happen!" barked Dean, looking at his brother, his eyes still black since he'd gone from one fight to another.

"Are you kidding me?! You believe that?! He's brainwashed you, Dean!" Sam roared, trying desperately to deny what Lucifer had told him.

"What even if he had, Sam?! What are you gonna do about it? Kill him and somehow cure me?!"

"How can you ask that as though it's a bad thing, Dean?! My stint with demon blood doesn't even compare to this!"

"Have you considered that maybe I want this?!" argued Dean, blinking to flash his eyes back to their normal green. His words hit Sam like a slap to the face, the larger Winchester staring at his brother as the king and the dying angel watched.

"Don't say that. Don't you say that to me. You're not you, Dean, you're not thinking right."

"I wanted the mark, Sammy. I wanted the blade. This is what comes with it. Pro or con, this is my reward. Tell you what, little brother, it's better than roasting in Hell. Better than running and fighting 24/7 in Purgatory. Better than you being dead." Explained Dean, eyes not leaving his brother, almost forgetting that they weren't alone.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Dean. We can fix you."

"I don't wanna be fixed, Sammy. The only demon inside me is mine."

"Why did you run from me, from Cas, if you didn't think this was wrong, Dean?!"

"Cause I knew you'd have a bitch fit, that's why. I didn't wanna deal with it. I wanted to give Crowley a chance to show me how life works like this."

"Dean, there's a cure. You can be human again."

"You ain't listenin to me, Sam. I don't wanna be cured. Even if there is one."

"What if mom and dad could see you right now? Huh? What would they say? What would Bobby say?"

"Sam, he's not a monster." Stated Crowley, unable to stay silent any longer, slightly glaring at Sam.

"He's a demon!" Sam barked back.

"What he is doesn't make him a monster, you ass! How many demons have helped you? Hm? Me? Meg? Ruby, even if partially? Now, tell me how many angels have helped you. Really helped you. Two, maybe? Three, at most? Who has caused more problems, Sam? Did the demons start the apocalypse or the angels? Is the devil an angel or a demon? Did I cast all the angels out of heaven or did Metatron?" argued Crowley, taking a step forward.

"You're missing the point." Retorted Sam.

"You're missing _my_ point, Sam. Just because he's a demon doesn't make him the bad guy. Just because Metatron was an angel doesn't make him a good guy." Answered Crowley, gaze not wavering. Sam looked over at Cas for help and his heart sank as he saw the understanding expression on the angel's face.

"Even if we were to try and cure Dean, it would not work unless he was willing, Sam." Stated Cas in a defeated tone.

"So what? I let you live like this? Never see you again? Let you run off with the King of Hell and cause chaos?" asked Sam, looking back at his brother.

"Who said you won't ever see me again? I'm still your brother, Sam."

"And for your information, we aren't causing chaos." Stated Crowley, hands in his pockets, nose no longer bleeding and the blood gone.

"We're just gonna go back to hunting? Like old times except you can't handle the holy water yourself?" continued Sam, ignoring the king.

"We can, sometimes. It ain't gonna be like old times, Sam."

"Cause you're on Hell's side, now." Stated Sam in a bitter tone.

"Hell actually does serve a purpose, Sam." Said Cas.

"Are you on their side or mine, Cas?" blurted the larger Winchester, rounding on the angel.

"Neither, anymore." Stated Cas before just turning his back to all three of them and walking out, not sure if he was going to the motel he and Sam were sharing or if he was going to wander. He was overwhelmed and felt useless. Walking out was the only thing he knew he could do.

Crowley walked over to the bar during the awkward silence following Cas' exit. Pouring scotch into three glasses and carefully picking them up before walking back over. He held one out to Dean who took it and immediately downed it. Sam just glared at Crowley before finally taking it, deciding that he needed some alcohol right now.

"I didn't know, Sam. But can you blame me for being happy about it? He's alive." Stated Crowley, taking a sip of his scotch.

"Yeah, alive and your new pet." Retorted Sam bitterly before downing half of his glass.

"He is not my pet. He's my best friend, Sam. Do you know what it's like to go centuries without a single friend?"

"Have you thought that maybe you never had friends because you're a great big bag of dicks, Crowley?"

"Sam, whether you like it or not, I'm still gonna be around Crowley. You can be mad all you want, it's not gonna change. You might as well just tone it down." Interrupted Dean, tossing the empty glass across the room where it shattered on the bar, earning himself a brief dirty look from Crowley. Dean ignored the look and then walked over to the bar to grab a bottle of whatever he was particularly craving.

Crowley took the chance to step over to Sam again and begin his last attempt at trying to make peace with him.

"I know you don't like me. I know it doesn't matter to you that I've changed. I know you don't believe me when I say I do care about what happens to you. But you could do me a favor by believing that I want what's best for your brother, Sam." Said the king, voice low so that only Sam would hear him. The younger Winchester glared at him.

"I wouldn't do you a favor if my life depended on it, Crowley. Not after this. All that other shit, I could let go. But this? No. You made my brother into the one thing, the one thing, that has ruined our lives over and over again."

"Sam. Agents of Hell aren't all bad. We serve a purpose and we're free souls. Twisted and demented souls but free. Dean or I will open up a vein and you could join the party, Sam. No more aching, no more doubting, no more pointless fighting about the little things." Offered Crowley. Sam looked at him, the glare not as intense as he would've liked it to be, disgusted at himself for even considering it.

"No." he stated simply. Crowley just sighed and walked away, headed over to Dean to refill his glass of scotch as Sam brooded and slowly calmed down.

Sam watched him go then swallowed hard and stared into the nearly empty glass in his hand. He'd more than considered Crowley's offer. Sam had had to physically bite his tongue to stop himself from saying yes. Though he'd never admitted it to Dean or anyone else, the craving never went away. Not even after the purifying that the trials did to him.

He knew that Crowley knew that. One junkie to another, right? Just a different kind of drug. He wasn't sure if the king was trying to manipulate him through the drug like Ruby had or if Crowley honestly thought Sam could function while embracing an addiction just like he had.

There was a twinge of fear in his heart as he realized no one was around anymore to stop him, to force him off of it. Bobby was gone and Dean wouldn't see it as a problem. Now, he didn't know if Cas would be back, either. He had a freedom he'd never had before with it. He could jump right back in and have as much as he wanted, whenever he wanted.

Sam quickly drained the rest of his scotch, trying to block out those thoughts. Hoping that finishing his drink would wash away that mindset. Though he knew it wouldn't, though he knew that the craving would only grow now that it was a possibility for him.

Xxxxxx

Castiel just walked. His feet not stopping and ignoring the aches in his legs until they went numb. He'd passed the motel a long time ago and now was headed out of town. Vaguely wondering if humans overreacted as much as he was doing so right now, he found he didn't care. What was left to care about?

As much as he'd like to hate what had happened to Dean, he knew he'd loved Meg. At least, to some degree. He knew demons weren't all bad and if there was ever going to be one that would break the stereotype, Dean would be the one to do so. Dean wasn't his problem, knight of hell or not, it was still Dean. He knew that, he could see that past the black eyes.

Cas's problem was that he had no purpose anymore. The boys certainly wouldn't need his help, what minimal help he could give, anyway. Dean no longer needed him as his friend, Crowley had taken that position. Sam was angry with him and he had no energy left to argue with the younger Winchester.

If Cas had been as quick to critical thought without emotion as he used to be, he'd realize he was slipping into a depression. He felt utterly useless. He couldn't help humans because he could barely function as one himself. He couldn't help the boys because they didn't need his help. He couldn't even feel somewhat useful through some sort of unholy job with Crowley because the king didn't need him.

He had no powers anymore. Simply flying somewhere would drain what grace he had left that was slowly seeping away. Which meant he couldn't return to his home, to Heaven. Even if he was capable, it would be a foolish move. He was certainly still on Lucifer's hit list and now said fallen archangel had control of Heaven. Cas would be surprised if Lucifer didn't have angels looking for him right now, just to get revenge.

Not able to heal people, no money in his pockets, no hope that anyone he cared about needed him anymore…Cas just walked. Step after step down the side of the road. Part of him wondered that if a car hit him if he was low enough on grace that he'd die. Part of him didn't care.

Something had snapped in him back in that hotel room. Something in his heart had died when he realized they didn't need him anymore. He could take not being useful to Heaven, he could even take being human. But no longer having the two who had been more of brothers to him than any of the angels? He couldn't take that.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard the unmistakable sound of fluttering wings that signaled an angel's arrival. Before he could turn and see who it was, his gut churned as he felt a chill, the temperature around him dropping. Once he did turn, he knew who it was before his kind blue eyes met piercing cold ones.

"Hello, brother." Greeted Lucifer, a sly grin forming on his lips.

****(Okay, took me a while to get that chapter down, I know. But I'm pleased with it. More fun to come. )****


	26. Bloodstream

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

"_Oh, no, no, don't leave me lonely now_

_If you loved me how'd you never learn_

_Ooh, color crimson in my eyes_

_One or two could free my mind._

_This is how it ends,_

_I feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream._

_Fading out again,_

_I feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream…" – Bloodstream by Ed Sheeran _

Chapter 26: Bloodstream

The time passed and the sky seemed to become even darker, somehow. As though the night hadn't reached its full blackness. Sam watched this happen outside the window, only distantly noticing Crowley was coming and going at random. Apparently taking care of Hell matters but never being gone long enough for the boys to leave or set a trap for him.

Dean, however, seemed to be paying him no attention. The elder Winchester was playing with a knife and drinking from his third bottle of whiskey. Sam wondered where Cas went, worried about him but his brother was his priority. Dean was all that mattered. He'd spent the time since everything calmed down thinking about what Crowley and Dean had said to him, considering it. At this point, however, his mind had taken that information and was now dwelling on something else.

He wasn't going to just let this happen. Not any of it. He couldn't cure Dean, he knew that for certain now. But he knew better than his brother that there was something else he could do. Something that would have lasting effect and bring most of his brother back to being human.

Sam waited, patiently. Watching Crowley's disappearances last longer and longer as the king apparently began to trust Sam more. That was a mistake. Now, the moment the king vanished, Sam casually got up and strolled towards the bar. Grabbing a beer glass, he felt his brother's eyes linger on his back for a moment. Instead of filling it with alcohol, Sam calmly filled it with water, dropping a crucifix necklace in it and mentally blessing the water. He waited until he knew Dean was no longer watching him then turned, swiftly dumping the water on his brother, watching smoke rise as it burned him. As Dean flailed, this being his first time experiencing the pain of holy water, Sam slapped the demon cuffs on his wrists. One at a time.

Before Dean could start putting up a fight, Sam hauled his brother over his shoulder and stepped out of the hotel room, leaving the door open.

Xxxxxx

"If you're here to kill me, brother, do it quickly. That's all I ask." Stated Cas, tone tired and defeated as he faced Lucifer.

"Kill you? Why would I kill you, Castiel?" asked Lucifer, smiling at the dark haired, dying angel.

"Numerous reasons. One being that I helped try to kill you during the apocalypse." Replied Cas, matter-of-factly.

"I don't wish to kill you, little brother. In fact…I'm going to do you a favor."

"What might that be?" asked Castiel, watching the devil suspiciously.

"I'm gonna give you your wings back." Answered Lucifer, smiling wider at his brother, starting to pace around the weakened angel, much like a wolf circles its prey. Cas simply hung his head and let out a tired laugh.

"At what price? Getting the horsemen back? Killing for you? No."

"Don't be stupid, brother. If I wanted the horsemen, I'd get them myself. If I want someone dead, they'll die. I don't need you for that. All I ask in return is that you run an errand for me, one that you'll want to run." Explained Lucifer, cold blue gaze on his sibling as he stopped in front of him again.

"What errand?" asked Cas before he could stop himself. Caught off guard and unable to hide his curiosity.

"I want you to find Gabriel."

"Find…. He's dead, Lucifer. You killed him. How do you expect me to find him?" snapped Cas, now glaring at his big brother.

"He's not dead. I returned for his body, I was going to take it somewhere so it could be returned to Heaven. It was gone, Castiel. Gabriel is alive. Hiding. As usual."

"You lie." Snarled Cas, now fully feeling the hurt over losing Gabriel, now that he had human emotions in full.

"I never lie, brother. I would not lie about this. I love Gabriel, it broke my heart when I thought I'd killed him. Originally, I believed maybe one of those Pagans had taken his body. They didn't. I searched them all out. What I did find while looking for him was the remains of a spell. Just another trick. He won't come to me, Castiel, but he'll come to you. You can find him." Explained Lucifer, almost as though pleading with Cas. Something the dark haired angel thought he'd never, ever see.

"Why? So you can kill him again?"

"No, of course not. I want to fix what I broke between us. Gabriel was always my favorite little brother, you know this. He was to me what you are to him. I raised him just as he raised you."

"Why don't you start at the source and fix things between you and Michael first?"

"You know how Michael is. He's hellbent on completing Revelations. He won't talk, Castiel, he'll want to fight. Talking isn't what he does."

"How will this work? You just…out of the kindness of your heart give me my grace back so that I go searching for our dead brother?" asked Cas, a flicker of hope blooming in his chest despite who he was talking to.

"I will give you back all that's left from Metatron's spell and do a spell of my own so that it returns you to full grace. I swear it. In return, you immediately go searching for Gabriel. No side stops with the Winchesters or Crowley, just find Gabriel. You almost found Father once, Castiel, you can find Gabriel." Stated Lucifer, chin raising as he finished speaking.

Cas stood there in silence, deep in thought, weighing his options. There was no way this was a clear and clean deal. He knew that. Lucifer had to be planning something he wasn't telling him or going to do some dirty little trick. However, he had to admit that he wanted to find Gabriel, badly enough even to risk this deal with the devil. One more deal couldn't end any worse than his previous ones had, right? This couldn't be worse than the fallout with his and Crowley's deal over Purgatory, his working for Naomi, or his plan with Metatron. If it did end up worse, perhaps he'd finally be killed this time and finally have peace. This would be the point and time he'd think about what the boys would want him to do, but he didn't think the boys were in his corner anymore.

"I will." Stated Castiel, raising head to look at Lucifer, almost seeing him as the famed angel God loved most rather than the sinister Satan he was known as now.

"Thank you. Come with me, brother." Answered Lucifer, grinning widely as he set his hand on Cas's shoulder and they vanished from the side of the road.

Xxxxxx

Crowley appeared in the hallway and stopped as he saw the door to his motel room was open. He looked around behind him and down both ends of the hallway before slowly nudging the door open fully with his foot and cautiously stepping in. Trying to smell any sulfur or sense the presence of an angel, expecting to be attacked at any moment.

As the king slowly made his way in and checking every room, he allowed himself to relax somewhat. Which only caused rage and then fear to rise up. Dean was gone, as was Sam. All he could think was that Moose had convinced Dean to come home with him, to get away from all of this, to leave. He saw no signs of a struggle and the fear shivered down his spine. _I've lost him, I've lost Dean. He's gone._ He thought, then shook his head, trying to force that thought away as he pulled out his phone and dialed Sam's number.

The phone rang for a few moments then the familiar voice answered, the sound of a heavy door shutting.

"Thought you'd call earlier, Crowley." Stated Sam's voice.

"Where are you two? What've you done, Samantha?" snapped Crowley, masking the fear through anger.

"I had a talk with my brother and reminded him that family is what's important. You're not family, Crowley. You never were and you never will be. Dean is back where he belongs, with me, ready to go hunting sons of bitches like you. In fact, we might even start with you."

"What'd you do, Sam? Drug him? Cast a spell? Demon cuffs when he wasn't paying attention?" accused Crowley, voice raising in volume with each question.

"I didn't do anything, Crowley. He's done with you, this was his decision." Stated Sam, easily lying to the king.

"Tell me why I don't believe you, Moose." Answered Crowley, teeth grit as he spoke, well, growled the words.

"Because you don't want to believe me. You think I don't remember your breakdown during the trials? I get it. You want love. Good for you. But Dean is not your pet, he's not your friend, he never will be. You are to him what Ruby was to me. Just a bad influence, Crowley." Replied Sam. Crowley's end was silent for a few moments, Sam actually thinking he'd hung up on him.

"Then I want you to listen, Sam, and listen closely. Because what I'm about to say to you is what you generally say to me at the end of these chats. I don't believe you, I think you're lying, I think you took him. And believe me when I say I'm coming for you, Moose. I'm going to beat you into the ground and take him back." Said Crowley, then hanging up before Sam could answer.

Sam sighed and put his phone down on the table before stepping into the dungeon where his brother sat glaring at him.

"I heard him, you know." Stated Dean, eyes black as he watched his large brother step into the room.

"Good for you." Retorted Sam, sticking a needle into his arm with a slight wince, pulling blood out.

"You can't cure a knight of hell, Sammy."

"Maybe not but I can give you humanity back."

"You really believe that'll work?" asked Dean, tone curious as Sam moved over to him.

"Yeah." Lied Sam. He was only going on a hunch, well, a hunch and a whole lot of hope. He set his hand on Dean's head just as he'd done with Crowley not long ago, forcing it to the side and jamming the needle into his neck, pushing the blood in as his brother growled. Dean shook his head like a wet dog when the needle was pulled out.

"You're livin on a prayer that ain't gonna be answered, little brother."

"Shut up, Dean." Replied Sam, sitting down and watching his big brother.

"You're fuckin up my life, Sammy. You realize that?"

"I'm saving you from yourself. That's what I'm doing."

"No, you've pissed off my best friend to the degree that he's gonna come down on you with all the fury of Hell. Which means, since you're my beloved brother, if he hurts you, I'm gonna have to hurt him. Which I really don't wanna do."

"Since when, Dean? What in God's name did he do to you to get you to trust him so much?"

"Oh, nothing. Other than helping me save you, bringing me back, teaching me how to control myself, showing me the ropes."

"That's not enough, Dean. Pick a damn side."

"Did I make you pick a side when it came to you and Jess?" retorted Dean, eyes blinking back to green. Sam stared at his brother, rather thrown by the question.

"What? What's she got to do with any of this?"

"Answer the question. Did I let you go back to her, grudgingly but still? Did I ever tell you that you had to chose between me or her?"

"Dean, what-"

"Answer me!" snapped Dean, growling.

"No, you didn't. Now what the fuck does she have to do with anything?" snapped back Sam, angry on principle that she was brought up.

"My point is that you don't have the right to make me choose between you or him."

"Dean… are you gay?" replied Sam, a confused look on his face, sensing something more than friendship here.

"No, I'm not gay, you asshat. How many women have you known me to sleep with?"

"Yeah, but when someone becomes a demon, it can make them different. I honestly always wondered if maybe you were a little bit gay."

"Well, I'm not. I'm bi. There's a difference."

"Okay, so what you're telling me is that you have a crush on Crowley and that's why you're mad at me because I've just screwed up your chances or something?" asked Sam, brows still furrowed in confusion.

"We're a bit past that point, Sammy."

"What? Oh, you mean…" started Sam, then going wide eyed and immediately putting his face in his hands for a moment.

"Get it? Get it? Now, let me go."

"Oh, my god, Dean, I didn't need to know that… I don't wanna know about your and Crowley's sex life…" groaned Sam, lifting his head with a disturbed look. Dean rolled his eyes so hard that they went from green to black.

"Don't be such a homophobe." Blurted Dean.

"I'm not, but…Crowley? I don't wanna picture him like that, oh my god, my brain is seared with nightmares forever."

"Whatever. Done? Gonna let me out, now?"

"No. In about forty minutes, I'm giving you another injection."

"Dammit, Sammy! Don't do this to me!" shouted Dean, rage boiling in his belly.

"Crowley wants to come and start a fight, fine. I'll kick his ass." Replied Sam.

"Sam…come on. Don't do this." Groaned Dean, hanging his head after seeing that determined, stubborn Winchester expression on his brother's face.

Xxxxxx

Appearing outside the bunker, a few hours later, Crowley hardly had to work to get the door open. Sam had, unwisely, left it unlocked because Dean was struggling and almost got loose. The king made his way into the bunker slowly, his hound Juliet with him. The demented dog cleared the path for her master, sniffing out the boys and leading to the dungeon.

Sam had heard Crowley come in and was hiding next to the doorway, demon blade in hand. Before he could realize that a hound was inside, Juliet bit onto his ankle and tugged him to the ground. Crowley stepping in a moment later while Dean growled from his chair.

"I told you I was coming, Moose. Did you really think I'd come alone?" asked Crowley, stepping on Sam's wrist before he could slice at him. Kneeling down next to the tall man as he thrashed against the hound keeping him pinned.

"Fuck you, Crowley." Growled Sam, straining against the dog he couldn't see.

"You thought you'd make him a blood junkie, hm? Get the whole family involved? Throw him into what you threw me into? Karma's a bitch, innit, Moose?" asked Crowley, taking the demon blade from Sam's hand.

"Crowley, don't!" barked Dean from his chair, straining against the cuffs. The king ignored him. Dragging the blade across his palm and slicing it open before closing his fist over Sam's mouth.

"Don't fight it, Samantha. You know you need this. Let it in. Taste the power in my blood, feel it course through your veins." Whispered Crowley, opening his hand and forcing his palm down against Sam's mouth. Sam caught in a predicament. He had a choice between suffocating or swallowing the blood. Trying with all the strength he had, even as the intoxicating taste hit his tongue, his eyes clenched closed. Sam tried to close his mouth but the way Crowley's hand was positioned forced it to stay open, the blood dripping and spilling in.

Before the younger Winchester even realized what he was doing, before he could halt at the point of no return, he found himself swallowing the blood. Breathing in short pants through his nose as he went from fighting to practically sucking the blood from Crowley's palm. A stray groan leaving him as he felt it hitting his bloodstream, as he felt himself becoming stronger. Those old powers that he thought were gone forever, that lingering evil Azazel had placed in him, popping to the surface at lightening speed.

Crowley nodded at his hound once, Juliet swiftly moving off of Sam as the king released the pressure on the hunter's arm. Instead of throwing him off or attacking, Sam's hands gripped Crowley's arm. Eyes closed, eagerly sucking in every drop of blood he could get, teeth biting at the incision on the King's hand to force more of it out.

Dean stared, in disbelief and horror that he hadn't expected. Too much humanity pumped into him from Sam, who now had very little left in him, ironically. Though this wouldn't have remotely bothered him just a few hours ago, he realized he felt nothing but fear, pain, guilt, and heartbreak at watching his brother drop back into the dirty pit he'd been in before the apocalypse. Using the human blood pumped into him, he broke free of the cuffs and chair, sprinting across the room and tackling Crowley.

Slamming the king down hard on the floor and pinning him, he found a human rage boiling in his chest. Rage at himself for what he'd become, for wanting to stay that way, rage at Sam for bringing him back, rage at Crowley for what he'd just done. Before he knew what he was doing, he was swinging fist after fist. Trying with all his strength to hurt the king.

Startled and hurt, everything clicked in Crowley's mind and he swiftly waved his hand, sending Dean off of him and into the wall with a thud.

"I came here to save you, you moron!" roared Crowley, neither of them noticing Sam was standing, blood staining his chin.

"Save me?! By hurting Sam?!" snapped Dean, no longer stuck against the wall.

"I didn't hurt him, jackass, I gave him his true strength back." Stated Crowley, spitting blood at the floor, narrowed gaze on Dean.

"Shut up, both of you." Blurted Sam in a terrifyingly controlled and cool tone. They turned and looked at him.

"Sammy, I'm gonna fix this. Okay? I'm-" started Dean.

"You're not gonna do jack shit, okay? I keep getting brought down this road, Dean, maybe it's time you stop shoving me onto the exit ramp."

"Look, you can both come back with me. We'll talk, settle all this." Stated Crowley, watching both of them closely.

"I'm not goin anywhere with you." Growled Dean, glaring at the king. Crowley felt his heart drop into his stomach and swallowed hard.

"Dean…listen. I-"

"Fuck everything up! That's what you do! And I'm done! I'm done with everyone! I don't need Sam, I don't need Cas, and I really don't fucking need you!" shouted Dean. Sam raised his eyebrows but said nothing, watching his brother melt down. Crowley felt the old familiar pain rising and clenched his jaw, refusing to break in front of them.

"Well, you perfect, blunt, little instrument… Good for you, Dean! Oh praise the Lord, I don't have the most miserable bastard in existence on my back any longer! God bless it! I do believe Sam is even more relieved than I am!" retorted Crowley, shouting right back, face getting rather red in his anger. Sam leaned against a shelf and watched, feeling oddly like he was watching a married couple have a bad fight.

"Good! I'm fucking thrilled! You can go back to running the pit and being a goddamn junkie cause that's all you're fucking good for!"

"Right, an alcoholic who's drowning his liver and his pain in whiskey is so much better! You're a pathetic excuse for a man, Dean. You were even worse of an excuse for a demon. And you know what? The only thing I blame myself for is being stupid enough to think I could use you in the first place."

"Goddamn user. I can't believe I ever enjoyed your company. I really can't. Fuck off, Crowley. Get out of my sight."

"Gladly. By the way, I've been fucked better when fast asleep than by you. I see why you've never settled down. No one in their right mind would want you to fuck them more than once." Retorted Crowley through grit teeth, glaring at Dean. He vanished just as Dean whipped one of the chairs across the room at him. The chair passing through thin air and hitting the wall.

"Next on Couple's Therapy, who's the real father of Dean's baby?" blurted Sam, then chuckling. Dean turned a glare on him.

"And fuck you, too. After everything, after that whole goddamn speech you just gave me about saving me? You're willing to accept this? You don't want it out of you? You wanna be dirty? Fine. Be it. I'm done tryin to fix you. I should've killed you a long time ago." Growled Dean before stomping out. Sam stared after him and then got up, trying to follow him out.

"Dean, dammit, stop it. Come back." Stated Sam, going silent when he saw the bunker door slam shut then sighing heavily.

Xxxxxx

Crowley hid himself away. From Hell, from Heaven, from hunters, from everyone. He was always someone who couldn't be found unless he wanted to be and he used that to his advantage.

If someone were to find him at the moment, however, they'd find a disaster. The entire room destroyed, windows blown out, furniture thrown around, a mess from rage. The eye of the storm sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall with his sleeve rolled up and two empty syringes on the ground next to him.

The human blood pumping through his veins, from an unwilling donator, Crowley's head rested back against the wall and his eyes were closed. He was numb, he was gone. At least for now. Not having to feel, not having to worry, not having to hurt. Safe from that drowning feeling of loneliness. Temporarily, anyway.

****((Okay, well, that took an angry turn. Hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you for reading. Please leave me a review on your way out))****


	27. Trying Not To Love You

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**0-Mizuki-0: **I know, Crowley just wants to be loved. That's all he wants. Glad you're loving the story, I hope you stick with it to the end. Thanks for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_But if there's a pill to help me forget,_

_God knows I haven't found it yet_

_But I'm dying to, God I'm trying to_

_'Cause trying not to love you, only goes so far_

_Trying not to need you, is tearing me apart_

_Can't see the silver lining, from down here on the floor_

_And I just keep on trying, but I don't know what for_

_'Cause trying not to love you_

_Only makes me love you more" – Trying Not To Love You by Nickelback _

Chapter 27: Trying Not to Love you

Sam had gone out and partially searched for his brother, to no avail. Dean was long gone. When the elder Winchester didn't want to be found, it was nearly impossible to find him. Sam, this time around, just decided to give his brother some space. Dean was still a demon, just one with some humanity in him. Sam had no idea what kind of beast that turned him into.

Sam knew what his brother was as a human and he knew what he was as a demon. How he was as basically both, there was no way to tell for sure. If Dean wanted his space, then fine. He was going to get his space.

The younger Winchester had something else on his plate at the moment, anyhow. His boots crunched on the gravel as he walked back into the old barn. A demon was trapped and glaring at him as he stepped in.

Without saying a word, Sam made his way over to the demon and slit its throat. The blood spilled out and he caught it in a container. His priority at the moment was stocking up on the sinister protein shakes. He didn't hear another enter the barn.

"It's almost like going back in time, isn't it, Sam?" asked a familiar voice. Sam turned his head but not his body, seeing Meg closing the barn door and slowly walking over.

"No. I have control this time." He answered in a cool and collected tone.

"You go ahead and keep telling yourself that."

"What do you want, Meg? I thought you were MIA."

"I am. Had a hunch something strange was going on and here I find you, exactly where Yellow-Eyes wanted you so long ago. Planning to ask Lucifer to jump your bones?"

"No. He was right about one thing, though. I shouldn't fight what's inside me." Stated Sam, standing up straight and finally turning to her.

"Well, look at you. Embracing your darker side. Good for you."

"The kind of hunter I can be like this, with the better control I have now, without the threat of Lucifer hanging over my head…Why not embrace it?"

"You realize that's the demon juice talking, don't you?" asked Meg, looking up at him.

"You know, I'd have thought you'd be all for this, Meg. Considering Azazel was your creator." Retorted Sam, gaze narrowing at the demon as she rolled her eyes.

"You think too much. You don't know me, you never did."

"Sure. You're something special and different." Was Sam's sarcastic reply, turning to kill the trapped demon then looking back at Meg.

"I didn't die for this, Sam. You find a cause and you serve it. Well the cause I died for was you and Deano fixing the world and living in peace. Not both of you being Hell's new bitches." She snapped at him, surprised at her own words for a few moments.

"What? Upset that Crowley's more interested in my brother than he ever was in you?" retorted Sam, an arrogant smirk on his face, knowing he was pushing her buttons.

"Crowley was the best of a bad situation for me. For all that time. A fling. A lover. Demons, surprisingly enough, don't know how to interpret feelings very well. He may have thought he loved me and I may have even thought I loved him at one point and time but we were wrong. It was mostly physical, believe me." She rattled off in an irritated tone, glaring at him.

"Well, good for you. Why don't you go back to the hole you crawled out of?" asked Sam, walking past her and outside towards the car.

Meg simply shook her head in annoyance and vanished.

Xxxxxx

Dean Winchester stomped into the building full of "undercover" demons. Every eye turned on him immediately in shock and more than a little bit of terror. Rage was still boiling in him at the situation he'd left in the bunker. Even as a demon, it seemed like if he took two steps forward he was taking five steps back. He just couldn't win.

"Where is he?" he growled at them as the door swung shut behind him. Dead silence was his answer. Rolling his eyes and clenching his jaw, Dean waved his hand, sending a desk right into one of the demons, smashing the vessel into the wall.

"I ain't asking twice. I'll just start killing one of you for every 10 seconds that nobody answers me." He snapped. Finally, one stepped forward slowly.

"Look, I'd tell you… I would. I'd rather you be the King. I never liked the salesman. But I don't know where he is. No one does. He just drops off the radar at random." Stammered the demon, wide eyed and trying to gain favor with the knight.

Dean responded by grabbing the demon by the throat and squeezing until the vessel's neck snapped and the demon inside died. It was almost as though the insult towards Crowley had made him angrier than anything else. That couldn't be it, though. No, of course not. He was just in a bad mood and more than willing to kill.

"Anyone else got excuses? Cause I can do this all night, kids." Asked Dean, walking towards the group that was slightly crowding together. Someone pushed through the crowd and Dean recognized them as someone who'd pop in on Crowley for updates sometimes.

"Okay, I don't know for sure but I have an idea of where he might be. There's a place he goes to that he thinks we don't know about but I've known in order to contact him for emergencies." Answered the Demon, holding his hands up in a form of surrender.

"Good. You're takin me there. Right now." Retorted Dean, grabbing the demon. They both vanished hardly a full second later.

Xxxxxx

There were several bodies in the once beautiful mansion of a house at this point. He'd destroyed it in a rage prior to collecting people to "donate" blood to him. A dangerously high dose was pumping through his veins tonight, making him completely stoned and just as close to human as he'd been during the trials.

He didn't even hear the two appear inside. Nor did he hear the scream of pain from his advisor when Dean killed the demon. In fact, Dean was standing in the doorway staring at him for several silent minutes before Crowley even registered that he wasn't alone. Blinking at the Winchester for a few moments, honestly thinking this couldn't be real.

"Must've been something good in that blood tonight…" he slurred, eyes trying to focus on Dean.

"What in the fuck are you doing?" snapped Dean, hand clenched in a fist.

"If you're here to kill me, please get it over with." Replied Crowley quietly, watching the knight with tired eyes. Dean grit his teeth for a few moments, that having been his initial reason for coming here tonight. At the least, he'd planned on beating the shit out of the king.

"Why are you doing this? What purpose does this shit serve?"

"You tell me why you drink, Dean. It takes everything away…even if just for a short period of time."

"Takes all of what away, Crowley? What is this everything that's so bad you gotta dose yourself up like a junkie?" snapped Dean.

"You arrogant dick." Retorted Crowley, then whipping an empty scotch bottle at Dean. It missed, the knight not even slightly moving out of the way.

"How the fuck am I an arrogant dick?!"

"I don't have someone to save me!"

"What?..."

"When I break down, when I fuck up, when I've got people wanting my head on a platter, when I'm lonely, when I can't hold myself up any longer, I don't have someone to pick me up, Dean! I don't have a Sam or a Castiel to come save my ass or pull me out of the fire! I don't have the luxury of knowing that no matter how much fighting happens or what I lose that I've got a brother waiting with open arms! Or an angel ready to bleed for me!" ranted Crowley, sitting up more firmly as he finally let all of this off his chest.

"Crowley-" began Dean, fairly shocked at this outburst. The King cut him off and continued.

"You wanna know a little bit about me, Dean? I'm miserable. I'm broken. I've got nothing left. You and your goddamn brother gave me humanity again yet you treat me like I've not changed at all. You gave me the fucking chance to feel again and how do you respond? By hurting me. I don't have a friend to pick me up. I don't have a brother to lean on. I don't have a lover who will hold me when I cry." Crowley went on, voice quieting down again.

"What does this have to do with what you did to Sam?"

"I thought I had you. I see now that it was just wishful thinking. Just desperation. How could you ever care about someone like me? Demon or not. I'd ask you if you had any idea what it felt like to find you gone and know that Sam was putting you through what you two put me through but you wouldn't care to know." Answered Crowley, stumbling as he got to his feet, suit disheveled, and hair foofy a mess.

"Are you… Look, whatever you think you're about to say, don't." stated Dean, not so angry anymore. More or less caught off guard and, though he wouldn't admit it, scared. He actually took two steps back as Crowley walked towards him, well, stumbled towards him.

"If you're here to rough me up or kill me, get to it. I don't want to talk anymore. You don't have to worry, I'm not gonna say things you don't wanna hear." Stated Crowley in a very low, monotone voice that agitated that fear Dean was feeling. They stared at each other for a few moments in silence.

"You need to sober up." Blurted Dean, not able to take the moment any longer. Crowley just sighed and shoved past him, shuffling out to another room.

"Why do you insist on further tormenting me? Just kill me and get it over with." He asked before slumping down on the only piece of furniture that wasn't overturned; a couch. Dean walked over slowly, still feeling completely out of his element.

Actually, he wasn't out of his element entirely. He'd been in a situation like this before, except it was with Lisa. Or any other woman he'd had any sort of stable relationship with then left, then come back too soon to find something similar. But that couldn't be this, it couldn't be, that was absurd. Not with Crowley.

"I'm not gonna kill you, you ass. That's not what I came here for." Snapped Dean, though now he was really starting to become confused with why he did come here. Beginning to wonder if it was ever even his idea to come here, if it wasn't just instinctive pull. He shook his head as though trying to get rid of that thought.

"Then what do you want? Help with Sam? Sorry, Dean, I don't have the energy to do things for you only to be threatened or kicked aside. Not anymore." Lied Crowley, knowing damn well that if it were a life and death situation or something that determined whether or not Dean was happy that he'd do it in a heartbeat. Even if his payment in return was to be stabbed in the back.

"The fuck is the matter with you?! Come on, man, get pissed! Fight with me! Threaten me! Call your goddamn hound! Do something!" blurted Dean, shouting now. Not willing to admit why Crowley acting like this was bothering him so much.

"I can't. I just can't. If you're done shouting at me, you can leave." Answered Crowley quietly, hand absently reaching for the scotch bottle on the table that still had some in it.

Dean growled and bit his lip before turning and kicking a turned over chair with all the force he could muster, the wood splintering and busting. He marched to the doorway with every intention of leaving until he found his feet wouldn't move any farther. Gritting his teeth, he stared down at his boots for a moment then swallowed his pride and turned back around. Dean watched the king drink what was left in the scotch bottle then marched back over to him, smacking the bottle from his hands where it shattered against the wall. He grabbed Crowley by the front of his suit and hauled him to his feet.

"I'm not playing this fucking game anymore so cut the shit! Straighten out! Don't you see what you're doing to yourself!? You're better than this, you dumb son of a bitch!" he shouted in the king's face, giving him a forceful shake.

"What do you even care?" slurred Crowley, giving the knight a hopeless look. Dean glared at him, knowing he was going to have to finally admit some things and pissed off that Crowley was unintentionally forcing him to do so.

"Because when you busted into that room and stopped Sam, even though I knew what you were going to do and was pissed that you were going to do it, I felt saved. Because I've been pretending to not give a fuck since that happened and it's a lie, there's no way I could be this angry for this long if I didn't care. Because I tried to walk away for good just now and every single instinct I had forced me to stop and come back. I've been trying to pretend you're nothing but another dick that I'm gonna gank someday but that's not true anymore. Because it hurts pretending this shit, it hurts planning out killing you, it hurt marching in here with the intention of killing you, it hurts watching you drown yourself in blood and whiskey." Rambled Dean, the words coming out before he could stop them or even try to filter through them.

Crowley stared at him in stunned silence, Dean's confessions cutting right through the haze of blood and scotch.

"I don't know when it happened, I don't know why. But I love you." Admitted Dean, a large part of him waiting for Crowley to laugh in his face, despite the mess in his hands.

The king continued to stare for a few moments then slipped his arms around Dean and buried his face against the knight's neck to hide the waves of emotion springing to the surface. Dean hugged Crowley tight to him and heaved a sigh of relief as he closed his eyes.

Xxxxxx

Castiel stared at his beautiful, elder brother. His grace returned and a full angel once again, all thanks to who he once thought was the least likely person to do such a thing. Lucifer smiled at Castiel.

"When you find our brother, which won't be easy, bring him home. It's time that Gabriel came home, Castiel." Explained Lucifer.

"I will. Do you have perhaps any idea where he would be hiding?" asked Cas, trying to start on some sort of lead, any sort of lead. Lucifer sighed and shook his head.

"No. Like I said, this will not be easy. However, if anyone can accomplish it, it's you."

"Could I enlist help?"

"From who? The Winchesters? I don't think they'll be of help, Castiel. They seem rather overwhelmed with Hell related issues right now. Besides, the way they basically threw you to the curb?...They don't deserve your attention or presence." Stated Lucifer in a firm tone, eyes never leaving his little brother.

"You're right." Cas answered quietly, nodding once as a frown formed on his face. After everything they'd all been through together, he never really thought a day like this would come. Lucifer stepped over and set his hand on Cas's shoulder, hiding a smirk from the dark haired angel.

"You cannot trust humans tainted by demons, Castiel. I would know. I made the sulfuric beasts. I am so sorry, brother." Said the serpent in a sympathetic tone. Cas nodded once more and straightened up, chest puffing out.

"I will find Gabriel. I swear it." He vowed.

"Good. I believe in you, brother." Smiled Lucifer, a coldness in his eyes that should've been Castiel's warning. His warning to turn back now. His warning to not trust this serpent.

Xxxxxx

A fully sober and calmed Crowley could be found hours later in bed with Dean. They both had an arm hooked over the other, legs entangled, heads touching and resting in that light sleeper way that demons can. The king's eyes slowly eased open to see his knight's peaceful expression, bringing a content smile to Crowley's face.

Things felt different for the first time in a very long time. No dark cloud hung over Crowley's head, no fear caused pain in his chest. He was at peace in a way that he couldn't remember ever being before. He wasn't sure if it was this moment itself or everything. Part of him said this was too good to be true, that something bad has to be around the corner. He ignored that, committing to the good feelings.

Leaning in and closing his eyes again, he pressed his lips gently to Dean's in a soft kiss, scooting closer to him in the process. The knight slowly stirred from the touch and returned the soft kiss before pulling back with a deep breath and blinking at Crowley.

"What time is it?" asked Dean, groggily.

"I'm not sure. I don't really care, either." Answered Crowley in a soft tone, leaning close again and nuzzling his beard against Dean's neck. The knight sighed but smiled and returned the nuzzle.

"You know you're just a puppy pretending to be the big bad wolf, right?"

"And you're just a teddy bear that pretends to be a mean ole grizzly." Retorted Crowley, voice muffled against Dean's neck, causing the Winchester to laugh softly.

"Is that an insult? Do I need to fight you? I'm not used to this lovey dovey stuff with another guy." Stated Dean, Crowley pulled his head back and looked at his lover.

"Lovey dovey stuff, as you put it, concerns hearts and souls not gender, darling. Act how your heart and soul wants you to, not how your pre-conceived notions or anyone else wants you to act." Answered Crowley, giving Dean a small smile. The knight thought about this for a moment then nodded.

"That makes sense." Said Dean, changing position and leaning in to rest head on Crowley's chest without thinking about it much. He sighed after a few moments but didn't say anything else.

"We need to find Sam." Muttered Crowley, addressing the guilt that was hiding in the back of his mind, sure that it was on Dean's mind as well.

"Before he does something we can't fix." Added Dean, giving a soft nuzzle to the king's hairy chest.

"I'm sorry, Dean. What I did was wrong."

"I don't wanna talk about it." Stated Dean, not yet forgiving Crowley and therefore not wanting to become angry over it. Not wanting to ruin the moment.

"When do you want to go looking for him?" Crowley asked quietly, slightly frowning, knowing Dean was still upset over that but not blaming him for it.

"Might as well start now. He's got a headstart on us." Replied Dean, getting up, untangling their legs and moving off of the bed. Crowley slowly did the same, shamelessly watching Dean pull most of his clothes back on.

"You realize you can do that with a snap of fingers, right?" asked Crowley, doing exactly that, a fresh suit appearing on him. Dean looked at him for a moment, actually not having thought about it.

"Yeah." He lied in an annoyed tone, giving Crowley a look that made the king bite his lip to refrain from laughing.

"Sure. Sure."

"I'm serious. Maybe I like manually getting dressed, it's more authentic."

"Authentic?..." asked Crowley, giving Dean an _are you fucking serious right now _sort of bitchface.

"Yeah. Shut up. Don't look at me like that." Snapped Dean, slightly embarrassed now as he pulled his coat on.

Crowley responded by laughing as he stepped over to the knight, his hand gripped Dean's shirt and pulled him in and down to press a kiss to his lips. Dean returned it with a grumpy grunt then sighed when the broke apart.

"If you want another go at that explanation, I'll give it to you."

"Shut up." Grumbled Dean, trying to not smile, wanting to keep his grumpy expression.

"I love you." Answered Crowley, chuckling as he said it but the affection in his gaze was entire sincerity. Dean found he couldn't hold the grumpy expression any longer and a smile split his features at hearing those words from the king for the first time.

"No chick flick moments." He retorted, smiling.

"Oh, fine, fine, cowboy. Let's go find your moose." Said Crowley, smiling back.

****(I'm really happy with this chapter by the way. I hope you guys like it. I have this story planned out to have 30 chapters so we're almost to the end. I hope you stick with me. Thanks for reading, please leave a review on the way out. )****


	28. Painkiller

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

**0-Mizuki-0: **Yes, yes! All goodness, they belong together. And we all know how Dean is, it takes him a long time to forgive people for things. Even people he loves. Sam isn't really planning much but Lucifer definitely is, and not good things, either. Don't know yet if Gabriel really is alive, you'll have to wait and find out. Thank you for your review, I look forward to your next.

Twilight Zone

"_I know what you want so desperately_

_You know I'll give you one for free_

_Forever you're coming back to me_

_Now I'm gonna give you what you need_

_'Cause I know what you feed on and what you lean on_

_And what you lead on_

_The shoulder you cry on_

_The dose that you die on…." – Painkiller by Three Days Grace _

Chapter 28: Painkiller

"There a reason this is taking so long?..." asked Dean, grumbling as Crowley worked on a location spell for Sam. The king rolled his eyes and sighed before looking at his lover.

"Patience. Please." Replied Crowley, though there was a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Sorry, is my urgency to find Sam starting to piss you off?" asked Dean, instinctively getting defensive. He blinked and then stared at Crowley when the king slammed his hand down on the table in response.

"No. It's not. The damn spell is. Your brother has warded himself. I don't know how but he has." Growled Crowley, then hanging his head for a moment, trying to think of some other way to find the moose.

"You don't have one of those little tracking devices on him?" Dean inquired, stepping over to the king's side of the table.

"No, if I had, I wouldn't have wasted all this time trying to do a spell, would I, genius?" asked Crowley, not looking up right away. He pinched the bridge of his nose, literally able to feel Dean's impatience and anxiety.

"Just asking."

"And I'm just telling you." Retorted Crowley, turning to look at the knight.

"Then we're gonna have to do this the old fashioned way. The slow way. Hunt him down like he was anyone and anything else I was looking for." Answered Dean, walking away and picking up a bag.

"You know, we could be overreacting. I'm sure he's fine…" stated Crowley, not really believing his own words. Dean gave him a single look and the king held up his hands in surrender before following him out.

An hour later found them in the Impala, speeding down some unmarked road in the dark. Crowley sitting shotgun with a bored expression and Dean behind the wheel, absently nodding his head to the beat of the Queen song playing lowly on the radio. Crowley reached forward and opened the glovebox, rooting around curiously.

"Stop that." Grunted Dean, glancing over.

"What?" mumbled Crowley, not paying him any attention as he pulled out a box of old cell phones.

"Stop….quit touching things." Snapped Dean, snatching the box and shoving it away, ignoring the look that Crowley was giving him.

The only sound in the car for a few more miles was the music and ramblings of some DJ in the area that ran the station they were listening to. Until Crowley started chuckling at something.

"What's funny?" asked Dean, looking over then immediately glaring as he saw Crowley had one of his phones turned on and was looking through it.

"You sext like you're fifteen years old…" chuckled Crowley, unable to help it, snooping on the dating app Dean had. Dean reached over to snatch it from the king's hand and missed.

"Dammit, Crowley, knock it off! Give me the phone!"

"Who taught you how to talk dirty? Mr. Rogers?" laughed Crowley, scrolling through private messages.

"Gimme the phone! I will pull the this car off the road!"

"Third message after the sexting has began… _Are you wet for me? All I can think about is your lips around me… _Holy shit, Dean, are you in high school?" Crowley continued to laugh and the car suddenly jerked to a halt, tires squealing. Dean yanked the phone from the king's hands and tossed it in the backseat, glaring at him.

"I… Listen! When I say stop, you stop! That was private stuff, okay?!" snapped Dean, only getting angrier and more embarrassed by the amused look on the king's face.

"If you wanted someone to teach you how to talk dirty, all you had to do was ask." Retorted Crowley, smirking.

"I don't… no. I don't need to be taught anything. Just be quiet and stop going through things, you're distracting." Said Dean, glad the car was dark, certain from the heat in his cheeks that he was blushing. He focused on the road again and continued driving in silence for a few moments, finally relaxing somewhat. Until a heavy hand landed on his thigh and gave a possessive squeeze. Causing his pants to tighten and his muscles to clench up as he glanced at Crowley, who was seemingly not noticing where his hand was now resting.

"What are you doing?..." mumbled Dean, certain he hadn't turned the radio off but suddenly no longer able to hear it.

"Hm?" was Crowley's reply, glancing at him once with an oddly innocent expression on his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Um… watching the road…enjoying your company…am I supposed to be doing something in particular?" asked Crowley, blinking in confusion at Dean. Not actually having intended to taunt or tease the man, just liked being able to touch him in a fairly intimate yet comfortable manner.

"You can't behave for ten minutes, can you?" grumbled Dean, looking back at the road. Crowley gazed at him for another moment then chuckled softly.

"Just because you're all hot and bothered doesn't mean that was my honest intention. This time. I'm flattered, though, really. I was going to lay my head on your lap and snooze but you'd probably make a mess of your jeans." He teased in a low purring tone, giving Dean's thigh a playful squeeze. Crowley scooted over on the seat to lean against the knight's side.

"Can you just…let me get used to this without your teasing, jackass?" asked Dean, slowly putting in an effort to settle comfortably with these sorts of moments, placing an arm around the king and on the back of the seat.

"Time itself will make that happen, you know."

"How do you figure that?"

"You think I was always this open with my sexuality? When I was human, I was a bit like you were. Secretly bi-curious, never really did anything with it. After I turned, like you, every side of me came to the surface. I discovered the damndest thing."

"Which is?"

"That it doesn't matter to me if someone's a man, woman, in-between, angel, demon, witch…doesn't matter. If I'm attracted to them, I'm attracted to them. If the situation arose where I could make a move on that, I would. Honestly, Dean, it just takes time. You'll adjust. Things won't seem so strange after a while."

"I think maybe it's the affectionate stuff that's strange to me. Even with women, I'd always kinda shy away from it." Replied Dean, arm moving from the back of the seat to now rest around Crowley.

"Because it means becoming attached. Which is something you never thought you could or would do. It's strange to me, too."

"Same reason?"

"No. I'm the King of Hell, Dean. Before this I was the best crossroads demon to ever exist. Before that I was a mean, drunken Scotsman. Not exactly the type of man to receive affection or someone who would want to stick around. Lust, yes. But never much more."

"So we're both new to this…" mused Dean in a quiet tone.

"We are." Answered Crowley softly.

Xxxxxx

As he had expected, this task was insanely difficult. Castiel began to wonder if this wasn't just some wild goose chase. Gabriel hid for thousands of years, from all of Heaven. How on earth was he supposed to find him?

Doubt. Always doubt. Something he'd never had until he fell for mankind. That nagging voice in the back of his mind that told him he was probably going to fail. No matter what he did.

As he travelled the globe, inch by inch, it seemed he was making no progress whatsoever. Running in endless circles, stepping on numerous traps that led him in random directions.

The more he thought about it, however, the more he realized it was as though someone was leading him to these places. He momentarily thought that Lucifer was setting each road in front of him to keep him roaming, but that didn't make much sense. If Lucifer wanted him out of the way, he would have just killed him. He had already proven he could do that with a literal snap of fingers.

Hope surged in the angel's heart as he began to suspect that he was getting close. If he was being thrown in all different directions, he must be right behind Gabriel. But then the question remained of why would his brother run from him? Did he perhaps know that Lucifer had sent Castiel and didn't trust him? Or maybe he just wanted to be completely under everyone's radar again.

Cas had far too many questions and hardly any answers. Before he could dwell too much more, a surge of power caused him to halt.

Blinking in confusion, he could swear that for the briefest moment, he saw a set of golden eyes. The kind that only belonged to one being he'd ever met, the one brother he was currently looking for. As he reached out with the powers he had to try and grab at his brother, he was literally smacked in the face.

Startled, Cas finally stood fully still, hearing mumbled talking and the bustling of a public place. He pulled the cardboard from his face and blinked at the advertisement for a deluxe cheeseburger. Looking around, he discovered he was in a restaurant somewhere. By the feel of the place, Gabriel wasn't here anymore, if that was him in the first place.

"If you're looking for a piece of Heaven, you've found it." Stated Castiel, reading what was written on the advertisement. Of course, he didn't get the irony or the joke in the whole situation. He dropped the cardboard and tried to continue on but found that he'd completely lost the trail.

He was distracted just long enough to lose the scent he was chasing. Unsure whether or not it was Gabriel, he continued on. Starting all over again to try and find his long lost brother.

Xxxxxx

Sam stepped out of the motel bathroom, clad in merely sweatpants, his hair and skin still a little damp. He was just about to turn the fan on, thinking it was too warm in the room, when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. His muscles clenched up as a sudden cold filled the room.

A cold that he was very familiar with, a cold that he would never forget. He lived with it for what seemed like an eternity in the cage down in Hell. Swallowing hard, he clenched his eyes closed for a moment before turning, already feeling that unmistakable presence.

"Why are you here?" Sam nearly growled, aware that being full of demon blood made him vulnerable to the devil but unable to ignore how powerful it made him feel.

"I know how hard you try to fight it, Sam. I really do. But how is it not more clear now than ever just how alike we are?" asked Lucifer, cold blue eyes on the Winchester. Tone soft and sympathetic as his head tilted ever so slightly.

"I am _nothing _like you." Replied Sam, the old rage boiling up in him.

"Sam. You were made in my image. Really, that's not all a bad thing. I am not the bad guy, Sam."

"You're fucking with me…" laughed Sam, bitterly.

"Not at all. What makes me the bad guy, Sam? My hypocritical family? My merciless father? Mindless sheep who follow words in a book that was written by flawed men claiming to speak God's word?"

"Why are you still trying to convince me that you're innocent? That you were wrongfully struck down? The apocalypse is over, we ruined three of the horsemen, you can't get it going again."

"I know this. I have no interest in following my Father's plans with that."

"Then why are you pleading your case again? I'm not your friend. You're the goddamned devil."

"I need you Sam. And although you don't want to believe it, you need me. I understand you because you are my mirror image. No one else could possibly know you the way I do. Not even your brother." Stated Lucifer, taking a few steps towards Sam.

"Bullshit." Blurted Sam, not liking how honest those words were.

"Not in the slightest. Look at where you are, Sam. Your brother has walked out on you again. _Again._ Do you think this is coincidence? Again, he is gone and I am standing before you with open arms. You can make the right decision this time." Lucifer did just that, his cold gaze never leaving Sam's.

"For what? Possession? You can't have me."

"I don't want to possess you, Sam. I want us to be on the same team, officially. You think you're powerful right now? Oh, Sam, I can show you tricks you've never dreamed of. You're not even scraping the tip of the iceberg."

"It'll make me a demon." Snapped Sam, giving him a look, knowing how Lucifer felt about demons.

"No, it won't. Not the things I'll show you. I'd never let you become something so…wasteful." Explained Lucifer, standing in Sam's personal space now.

There was a long silence where Lucifer allowed the Winchester to debate internally. Sam thought about calling Dean, right then and there. The thought passed when he considered what the devil had said. This couldn't be coincidence. How many times had Dean walked out on him or vice versa? What if he was supposed to play things differently this time? Dean took on the mark, knowing it was bad, knowing it was wrong, to do something good. He could do this, he could toe the line.

"What can you show me?" Sam's croak broke the silence.

Xxxxxx

Meg strolled into the abandoned church, looking around curiously at the demons being put to work. Part of her suddenly wondered if Crowley knew about this, that these demons, this group was working for Lucifer.

Speaking of working, this didn't look like what she had been told they would be working on. From what she had heard, they were supposed to be setting a spell so that the cage could not be opened again except by Lucifer himself. She stepped over to a table and tugged one of the demons aside.

"What is this?..." she asked, the demon gave her a dirty look then something much stronger grabbed her and shoved her at the wall. She blinked at the angel that did such.

"Leave." Ordered the angel.

"Uh, bite me. What's going on here?"

"None of your concern."

"I'm on your side, tree topper. This was established a long time ago. Tell me what's going on. I can help." Snapped Meg, growing more irritated by the moment. Who was the one who stuck by Lucifer's side from the start to the finish? Her. She did. Not these tools stacked in this room.

"If you have not been informed of the details of the plan, then I assume Lucifer does not want you to know them. Step aside and leave." He ordered, pulling out his angel blade. Meg glared at him for a moment then rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Zip up, asshat." She retorted, shoving past him to walk out of the church. As she passed by one of the tables, she tried to figure out just what each of those ingredients were for. She could swear that they were for overriding the King and raising Hell onto Earth, like Samhain's plan but permanently. That couldn't be it, could it?

Before she could see much more, she was shoved out of the church. Meg walked for a while, thinking on what she saw in there. This is not the game plan she had been told about.

With a sickening twist in her gut, it all began to sink into place. Every single thing that was happening was happening in Lucifer's favor. The Winchesters split up, Crowley falling apart over Dean, Sam in the demon blood again, Castiel suddenly missing, Lucifer now owning Heaven…Every puzzle piece slipped into place and painted a picture that encased her with terror.

She thought back to what she had said herself to Metatron. About how you couldn't beat the boys, Cas, and Crowley when they all worked together. When they were all on the same team, it didn't matter who you were or what you were, you were going to lose and lose big. If she knew that, Lucifer certainly did. Now they were all split up, as far as she knew.

Any general, any great leader or warrior knew that if you could not conquer your enemy united…then you divide them and plow right in. Waiting til they're separated and at their weakest.

"Fuck…" she mumbled, halting on the dirt road. She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh, now faced with the one choice she really didn't want to deal with. The choice to either continue to serve her cause, leading to the destruction of those she cared about(even if she refused to admit caring about them), or to betray her master she so loved, hopefully saving all that's good and right in the process.

****(I realize that was shorter than my chapters usually are but we're getting very close to the end here, the end of this installment, anyhow. Thank you for reading, please leave me a review on your way out.)** **


	29. Mr Self-Destruct

I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

"_I am the voice inside your head _

_(And I control you)_

_I am the lover in your bed _

_(And I control you)_

_I am the sex that you provide_

_(And I control you)_

_I am the hate you try to hide_

_(And I control you)_

_I take you where you wanna go! _

_I give you all you need to know! _

_I drag you down I use you up!_

_Mr. Self Destruct!..." – Mr. Self Destruct by Nine Inch Nails _

Chapter 29: Mr. Self Destruct

Dean parked the Impala out of hearing range of the motel, he and Crowley swiftly getting out and looking at all the dark windows. Only a few dimly lit by a tv left on or a bathroom light. Dean surveyed the long building and then nodded.

"He's in the room at the end. Quickest escape route." He stated.

"Do you want me to come in with you or do you think that will cause problems?" asked Crowley in a soft tone.

"I'll go in by myself first. You can just wait outside the door and I'll come get you when everything's calm and we can all talk." Replied Dean, walking with the King towards the motel room on the end. Crowley's hands were stuffed in his coat pockets, glancing around before suddenly stopping and grabbing Dean's arm.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" asked Dean, brows furrowed and now looking around.

"Lucifer…"

"He's here?!" Dean nearly shouted. Crowley waved a hand to quiet him.

"No, not right now. He was, though. Please be careful, Dean. Please." Crowley pleaded quietly, looking at the knight.

"What you think…you think Sam would work for him or something?"

"I think there's a side of your brother that you don't know as well as you think you do. Please be careful."

"Wait out here." Replied Dean before pulling from the king's grip and walking to the door. Crowley followed and stopped between the door and the single window, eyes on Dean.

The knight knocked on the door and waited.

"Read the sign!" shouted Sam's voice from the other side, referring to the 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging on the door handle.

Dean rolled his eyes and then yanked the plastic off the handle before shoving the door open, busting the lock. He stepped into the motel room as Sam stood up and aimed a gun at him.

"That ain't gonna do shit and you know it. Put it down. We need to talk." Stated Dean, eyes not leaving Sam's. The larger Winchester stared at his brother for a moment then lowered his gun, putting it away.

"Yeah? About what?" asked Sam, showing no affection for his brother.

"We've gotta fix this. Alright? We're brothers, Sam. We're family. I can't-"

"You know who you sound like? You sound like dad." Said Sam, cutting him off. Dean stared at him for a moment, gauging whether or not that was an insult.

"And? Dad was right. Family comes first."

"Like you running off with Crowley? That was putting family first?"

"I thought we were past that, Sam."

"We are, I'm just pointing a few things out to you. See, Dean, you're the biggest hypocrite I've ever met. With maybe the exception of dad." Said Sam, in a cold tone that reminded Dean of when his brother had no soul.

"How the fuck do you figure that?"

"You always throw this family shit in my face. Every single time I decide that I'm not gonna look past your bullshit any longer. You guilt trip me, Dean. Or try to."

"I'm not guilt tripping you, Sam, I'm trying to pull you out of the fire and remind you of what's important here!" snapped Dean, voice raising.

"I'm not in the fire, Dean. There's nothing broken in me. I'm not trapped under a bus. I'm just not with you, not anymore."

"And that's a problem, Sam! Don't you see this? We're at our best when we're together. When we're not together, we go off the rails!"

"No, Dean. When we're not together, you go off the rails. I'm not a little kid anymore. I don't need you like that, I never have. You're the one who needs me and I've let you drag me around through hell and high water but I'm done. I'm going to live my own life, without you. Like I have before. The only difference is that you're dead or in Purgatory this time, I didn't run away from you and dad this time. That's it." Replied Sam, raising his voice as well this time but not yet shouting. He gave his brother a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Sam…I'm not trying to make you quit the demon blood-"

"Good. That's not all that I've got anymore, either."

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I mean I am stronger than you can possibly imagine."

"Why? Cause Lucifer said you are?"

"You can have Crowley, why can't I have the devil? I was made in his image. Personally, I think I need him more than I've ever needed you."

"Sam, that's different and you know it! What good has Lucifer ever done for us? When has he ever been on our side?!"

"He doesn't lie to me, he never has. That's just a fact, Dean."

"He's the fucking devil, Sam!"

"And you're fucking the King of Hell! Tell me how I'm so much worse than you, Dean! Please! I'd love to know!" shouted Sam, his temper rising now. When he shouted, the lights flickered and the tv went out.

"Sammy…what did he do to you?" asked Dean, voice quieting as he stared wide-eyed at his brother.

"He made me stronger. Probably stronger than you. Get out. We're done here."

"No. I'm not giving up on you." Vowed Dean, nearly growling the words as he took a few steps towards his brother.

"Dean, I'm only gonna tell you one more time…" stated Sam, glaring now.

"You're my brother and I love you. Please listen to me, please at least try." Pleaded Dean before setting a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Take your hand off of me." Stated Sam, still glaring.

"Sammy, I-" started Dean, he was cut off by Sam punching him in the chest. There was a boom at the contact, much like setting a match to gasoline, and Dean flew across the motel room and out the window to land on shattered glass on the sidewalk.

Crowley jumped at the boom from the punch then blinked as Dean came out the window to land in front of him. He turned to the door as Sam opened it and held up his hands.

"Sam, listen to me. You need to take a deep breath and calm down. This is not what you want to do." Said Crowley, feeling like he was trying to tame a pissed off tiger.

"Get out of my way." Growled Sam, giving a single warning. Crowley didn't budge, not knowing if Dean was on his feet and even ready for a fight like this. Wanting to defuse the situation now.

"Please, I'm trying to do what's best for all of us." Pleaded Crowley. He saw Sam start to move and swung first, hitting the taller man on the side of the jaw. Sam jerked to the side and spat blood before turning a look on the king that was far too familiar to Lucifer.

"Sam, we can talk about this…" said Crowley, taking a single step backwards but not getting out of the big man's way.

Sam didn't speak, he only stepped forward and brought his fist up. Uppercutting Crowley with all the strength he possessed, another boom sounding and the king flying a few feet to land on the windshield of someone's cheap car, the glass busting beneath him. Crowley stared up at the sky for a moment, body tensed up and pain shooting through him from where he was hit. The sensation of all the air being knocked from his lungs lingering and leaving him paralyzed as busted glass cut into his suit, digging into his vessel.

Dean got up just in time to see Crowley go flying and dove at his brother, lifting the larger man off the ground and slamming him down on his back. Pinning Sam down, Dean went back to trying to reason with him.

"Sammy, listen to me!" he shouted at him before Sam clenched his fist and gave Dean the sensation of his insides twisting around each other. Doubling over in pain, Dean was easily knocked off of his brother to lay on the sidewalk. Only Crowley really seemed to be aware that it wasn't going to be long before innocent civilians came looking and became casualties of what was essentially a very high strung demon fight. The king couldn't seem to make his vessel move, however, as though Sam's punch had knocked literally all of his strength and energy out of him.

Sam stood over Dean as the older man groaned in agony.

"I told you to leave, Dean. Don't come after me again." Stated Sam before vanishing. Leaving Dean wondering just what the hell his brother was doing to give him these powers.

As soon as the physical pain left with Sam, Dean managed to get up and stumble over to the busted up car. He grabbed Crowley's hand and tugged him out of the busted windshield and off of the car. The king gratefully leaned against Dean, still feeling oddly drained and not knowing why.

"What the fuck can make him able to do that shit?" asked Dean, arm under Crowley's and basically supporting him as they made their way back to the Impala.

Crowley responded by just giving him a sad look and shaking his head.

Xxxxxx

Meg pushed the doors open and strolled right in, knowing she was nowhere near capable of getting the information she wanted without simply asking for it. Lucifer turned and gave her a curious look as she barged into the room.

"Father, I…I have questions." She stated, suddenly wishing she'd knocked, afraid he was going to see this as rude. Lucifer sat down on the edge of the desk and linked his fingers, giving her a warm smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.

"Then ask them." He answered in his soft voice. She found her legs wanting to pace but stood still.

"What is going on? I came to help the other night and some angel apparently working with us basically kicked me out."

"Ah. Matthias is very sorry for the way he treated you. You must understand it's all safety precautions. There are some who believe the lie Crowley spread about me wanting to kill all demons." He explained, then giving a nod, assuming that was it.

"Why were the demons working on a spell? I am your most trusted of Hell, Father, I don't understand why I was not in on this."

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yes, please."

"Are you positive you want the truth? Blissful ignorance often keeps people alive longer." He stated, a slight warning tone in his voice.

"Father, I want the truth. So that I can help."

"I am taking over."

"What? Hell?"

"Everything." He answered with a smile.

"That was…that was in Crowley's deal with you?"

"Of course not. He is just the King, Meg. I am Hell's god. God trumps King. Every time. Even if he had sealed our deal properly, it wouldn't hold, I can break it any time I want and get whatever I want."

"After you take over, then what?"

"Then I make it paradise. No apocalypse necessary. I'll even let some humans live, those who prove themselves useful serving me."

"Does Castiel know about this?" asked Meg quietly, already knowing the answer.

"Obviously not. I've sent him off on some fairy tale mission looking for Gabriel, who he's not going to find because Gabriel is dead."

"What about Sam and Dean?"

"Dean is going to do as he's told and serve me like a proper knight or I will burn that mark right off of his arm and rip him apart. Sam, well, Sam is a smart guy. He's going to rule with me. He has potential, always has."

"What about Crowley?"

"Crowley is a traitor and a fool. He thinks he can control me and use me as a weapon, that's the whole reason he let me out, he's sorely mistaken. I have not forgotten he helped those Winchesters trap me back in Hell and I am not going to just let that go. He will be punished. Severely. For eternity. My new pet, to be precise." Lucifer smirked at Meg and then stood, walking over like a general.

"Oh. That sounds like a very good plan, Father." She replied, faking a smile as her stomach sank.

"Good to hear. Consider yourself on the inside of this plan, then. Go help prepare for everything." He stated, seeing right through her fake smile. She nodded and turned, leaving the room quickly.

Instead of going back to where the preparations were taking place, she vanished several miles away, planning to go looking for Castiel or Dean. Before she could get any farther, however, she heard wings and two angels appeared. Meg was restrained before she could grab a blade to fight and hauled away in a blink.

Xxxxxx

"Ah…bollocks…" grumbled Crowley, his voice interrupting the purr of the Impala's motor as they headed to the next town over and nearest hotel where they wouldn't be recognized for the fight that just happened.

"What? What now?" asked Dean, immediately glancing around the car.

"Nothing, just pulling windshield glass out of my ribcage." Was Crowley's reply, looking down at his right side, coat pulled open and carefully prying glass out.

"You alright?" asked Dean, half trying to hide the concern in his voice.

"I'm not going to die, if that's what you're asking."

"I know that, jackass. How hurt are you? How much blood have you lost?"

"If my suit was white, it would be dark red by now but I'm fine. I just need several glasses of scotch and a hot bath. Then several more glasses of scotch and a nap. Then I'll be good as new." Sighed Crowley, giving up on pulling out glass for right now, just dropping his head back on the seat.

The car ride was silent until Dean pulled into a parking lot at the first motel they found. He parked and Crowley slowly got out, stopping to lean against the car as Dean went and paid for a room. The King followed Dean when he returned, slowly moving into the motel room.

Dean shut the door behind them and flicked the lights on before locking the door and swiftly moving over to Crowley. He gently stopped the king and pulled the black coat off of him, tossing it aside before doing the same with the blazer. Crowley gave him a brief look of confusion and surprise but said nothing as Dean loosened and removed the silk necktie.

"Is there a reason you're not healing as fast as usual?" asked Dean softly, unbuttoning Crowley's torn shirt for him.

"Whatever Lucifer gave to Sam or did to him. Somehow, it makes the wounds he inflicts last longer on a demon like me. King or not." Answered Crowley with a wince as the fabric nudged some of the shards of glass still stuck in his side.

"Were there more than this? Has any of it healed already?"

"Some of it. Not much. Injured bones." Stated Crowley, helping slip the shirt off. Dean grabbed Crowley's arm and set it on his shoulder.

"Keep your arm on my shoulder til I say otherwise." Said Dean, starting to carefully pull the pieces of glass from the king's side.

Fifteen minutes later, Dean had finished cleaning the wounds and placing bandages over them to help them heal safely. Crowley took a long drink of the glass of scotch given to him and slowly sat down at the knight's urging.

"Move back to the pillows." Instructed Dean, surprised to not receive a dirty look as Crowley did what he was told. The king leaned back against the pillows and went to take a drink before just staring as Dean pulled his shoes off of him, socks as well.

"So this is what it feels like?" asked Crowley, watching as Dean now undressed himself to jeans and a t-shirt.

"What?" replied Dean, grabbing the bottle of scotch he'd brought in from the car as he moved over to half lay, half sit next to Crowley.

"Having someone to lean on, someone to care for you." Stated Crowley softly, turning his head to look at the knight, hand tossing his empty glass of scotch away. Dean's brows raised at the casual toss of the glass then he looked back at the king.

"Yeah, it is. It's frustrating, makes you feel like you're weak, and-" started Dean, gladly sharing his views on it. Crowley cut him off by leaning in and pressing his lips to the knight's softly, one heavy hand moving up and resting on Dean's cheek. The Winchester returned the soft kiss, leaning into it somewhat before being the one to break it.

"Stop downplaying it. Do you know why it feels good to have someone take care of you? Because it makes you feel needed, it makes you feel loved." Stated Crowley, then shifting to lay back against Dean.

"I guess you're right." Stated the knight, taking a long drink before setting the bottle down then patting Crowley's shoulder.

"What?" the king asked, lifting his head.

"Scoot over for a minute." Said Dean, waiting until Crowley moved. Dean then settled on his side and slipped an arm around the king, pulling Crowley's back to his chest.

"I love you." Whispered Crowley, setting his hand over Dean's and leaning back against him comfortably.

"I love you, too." Dean stated quietly, leaning his head against Crowley's and closing his eyes to recover and have some rest. Listening to Crowley's breathing steady as he drifted off before doing so himself.

Xxxxxx

Lucifer sat in the rubble of an ancient church destroyed long, long ago. Sturdy stone scattered, any valuables having been looted decades beforehand. All that still stood was a small altar with a crucifix on it. The devil tilted his head slightly as he gazed at it. He remembered that day, remembered it vividly.

The moment he almost tempted Christ, the moment he _almost _destroyed his Father's plans for saving mankind. Saving them from him. He was so unbearably close. Jesus was verbally, openly questioning their Father for the first time. Then, as though a candle had been blown out, that hellfire he was trying to plant in Christ just disappeared.

Just as he sighed, he heard heavy feet approaching him from behind. Without any greeting. There was only one brave enough to do that, only one that knew Lucifer would never harm him for it. The devil smiled, blue eyes almost literally shining.

"Hello, Sam." He stated, unable to keep the grin off of his face. This was what he considered a complete and total victory. When he no longer had to fight and argue and persuade. When his prey came straight to him, making the decision all by their lonesome.

"You were right." Stated Sam, the heavy footsteps stopping as he reached Satan. Lucifer turned to face him then stood from the rock he'd been sitting on.

"Of course I was. I never lie to you, Sam."

"He still can bring up Ruby like it was yesterday and throw it in my face…you know who he showed up with? He showed up with Crowley. And I could smell him on him. Their scents mixed together. After what I went through trying to save him, he went right back to Crowley first." Sam nearly growled the words, breathing heavily, hardly containing his rage.

"He's about to cast you out completely. That's what Michael did to me. I begged him for help and he betrayed me. Then he struck me down like it was no problem at all, like he'd always dreamt of doing it."

"I know. That's why I came straight here. I figured you of all would understand my rage."

"You did well by coming to me, Sam." Nodded Lucifer, reaching out and cupping the side of Sam's face.

"I'm in. Everything you said, everything you told me about, the power, the plans. I'm in for it all." Vowed Sam, eyes never wavering from the icy blue gaze staring back at him.

Lucifer smiled and patted Sam's cheek gently.

"Then let's get started, Sammy."

****(We're very close to the end. The next chapter shall be the end of this story. I hope you're all prepared for it. The feels are gonna keep hitting hard. Thank you so much for reading, please leave me a review on your way out.)** **


	30. I See Fire

I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

"_If this is to end in fire_

_Then we should all burn together_

_Watch the flames fly high into the night…" – I See Fire by Ed Sheeran _

Chapter 30: I See Fire

The iron gate was slammed shut and warded everywhere but the locked door where an angel stood guard. Meg stumbled back to her feet after having been tossed in and looked around before glaring at the angel.

"Why is it always you assholes causing trouble?" she snapped, a panic rising in her, knowing that the boys had no idea what was coming.

The angel said nothing so Meg stepped forward and kicked at the iron gate, almost busting the latch. She was rewarded by the angel picking up a bucket of holy water and dousing her in it. Screaming as she dropped back and away, Meg landed on the stone ground against the back wall, shaking as the burning slowly faded away.

"Fuck you and all you stand for, winged dick." She grumbled, leaning her head back against the cold stone.

Xxxxxx

Sam sat down near Lucifer, watching him curiously for a few moments. Something in his gut was twisting, it was hard to focus on just what it was, like it was too far off in the distance to matter. The twisting continued, trying to warn him this wasn't what it seemed, trying to make him back away. Still too distant to pay it much attention, Sam hardly noticed.

"Why do you need me to get Dean to find me? What purpose would that serve except being a problem?" asked Sam, brows furrowed at the devil.

"Because we need him here. He's much easier to draw out than Cain. The mark on his arm and what he can do with it is vital to our plans." Replied Lucifer, turning to give Sam his full attention.

"You're not telling me everything." Blurted Sam, narrowing his gaze slightly. His trust was starting to waver, something just didn't feel right after hearing that answer. Lucifer nodded slowly for a moment then smiled.

"Not much gets past you, Sam. I greatly value that."

"What are you not telling me, Lucifer?" snapped Sam, large chest puffing out slightly, instinctively preparing to fight. The devil held up his hands.

"Calm down. We are friends, Sam. Two sides of the same coin."

"Tell me the truth."

"You really want the truth?" asked Lucifer, stepping closer, trying to regain the slight trust he'd just lost.

"That's what I just said." Stated Sam, jaw slightly clenched and gaze firm on the devil's.

"I'm going to offer him what I offered you. The chance to truly be himself. The chance to mend things with you and join us. I am the source of all the power he has, I wish him no harm, Sam. I am going to offer him the chance to embrace all sides of himself, as you have." Explained Lucifer, his expressions frighteningly relaxed as he sold the lie. Sam stared at him for a moment, looking for any sort of tell and then nodded.

"I don't really know if it'll work, he's stubborn."

"Offering him the chance is what matters, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss him." Stated Sam quietly as he sat down.

"It'll give me hope, Sam. If you and Dean can truly be brothers again, then perhaps myself and Michael can." Added Lucifer, outright lying again. He knew damn well that if Michael ever got out of that cage he was going to receive the worst asswhooping his big brother had ever given him.

"I hope he agrees." Sam said softly, thinking of Dean and regretting being as violent as he had been. Wondering where his brother was and just what he might be doing right now.

Lucifer watched him for several moments, becoming a little concerned that perhaps his work was wearing off. He ignored the slight anxiety and went back to his planning.

Xxxxxx

Castiel felt close again, possibly closer than last time as he zoned in on a power source that could only belong to an archangel. He stopped where he was, feeling no change in the surge. Whoever it was, they were still here. Here being this abandoned beach that appeared to be somewhere near the Bahamas.

The moonlight reflected off of the blue water as waves gently rolled in to kiss the sandy beach. Cas started walking, looking for signs of life. Suddenly, something clamped around his ankle and he was hauled upside down, dangling from one of the trees, swaying back and forth. Whatever was holding him wasn't entirely physical.

Cas felt his shirt come untucked from his pants and tried to stop his blade from falling out of his jacket when he heard a very familiar voice.

"Aren't you a little stuffy for chillin on a beach, pretty boy?" asked the voice, pure amusement in his tone. Cas straightened out his head and found himself staring at Gabriel. In the same vessel he was last in, wearing just swim trunks at the moment and an ornery grin.

"You are alive…" stated Cas, staring at him.

"Of course I'm alive. I am the Trickster. Duh. Anyway, nice happy trail, bro." chuckled Gabriel before looking out at the water.

"Nice…what? Will you let me down, please?" asked Castiel, thoroughly confused and becoming uncomfortable.

"I kinda like you dangling from your ankle." Stated Gabriel, looking at Cas for a few more moments then snapping his fingers. Castiel dropped headfirst into the sand, standing up, trying to brush some of the sand off and not entirely succeeding.

"I've been looking for you. Why did you run from me?" asked Cas, stepping over.

"Because I like retirement, that's why. People obviously are supposed to be believing I'm dead."

"Lucifer doesn't believe you're dead." Replied Cas, brows furrowing when Gabriel laughed.

"Oh, yes, he does. You've been played, Cassy. Ever since you started looking for me, I've been taking a closer look at what's going on with him. You are just on the edge of a total shitstorm."

"What do you mean? This was a trick? A trap?"

"More like…a distraction. He knew he couldn't do what he's planning to do unless you were on a wild goose chase." Explained Gabriel, dropping onto a beach chair and picking up a margarita.

"What's he planning, Gabriel?" snapped Cas, feeling his heart sink into his gut, making him feel sick.

"To take over everything. Heaven, Hell, Earth… all of it. Using your boyfriends as pawns in the process. Rumor also has it that Crowley's going to be his permanent bitch. At least that's the game plan." Said Gabriel, ending his statement by taking a long drink and sighing happily.

Castiel stared at him, icy terror filling him at those words. He shook his head.

"No, Gabriel, please. You have to help me. We can't let this happen." Pleaded Cas, stepping over to help him up.

"What? No. I'm retired. Leave me alone. This is not my fight."

"Gabriel, you are the only archangel left that is available. Please, brother, you have to help me. Wouldn't it be easier to help now than to wait until he's taken over?" argued Castiel.

Gabriel heaved a sigh and set his drink down, still looking out at the water. The waves too calm tonight, as though giving a subtle warning of a massive storm on the horizon. He thought in silence for a few moments.

"What if he actually succeeds in killing me this time, Cas? Will it even be worth it?"

"You are older than I, you remember the mission Father gave us. Was it not to protect and defend those who cannot do so for themselves? The humans? Sam and Dean Winchester need our help."

"Those two aren't exactly human anymore. Not in the strictest sense." Stated Gabriel as he stood up and nodded at Cas with a tired sigh.

"You'll help me?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Someone oughta knock Luci down a peg, anyhow."

"Do you know what you're going to do?"

"Not exactly. But I know where to start." Replied Gabriel, grinning at Castiel.

Xxxxxx

Sam had been watching the clock, knowing it was only a few more hours before Lucifer would need him at his side. In order to avoid thinking too much, he'd laid down and closed his eyes, eventually drifting off. His dreams were filled with memories he'd never known he still had.

Before long, the sensation of being in the back of the Impala as John scolded Dean in the front seat shifted into something else. Something that was way too far back for him to have ever remembered before. The stench of burning flesh, smoke starting to fill his lungs, crackling of flames, and the sound of both his parents screaming. One in agony, the other in terror. He was staring directly up at his bleeding mother as flames engulfed her on the ceiling.

Sam's eyes suddenly snapped open. For the briefest second, he truly believed he'd see his mother directly on the ceiling. Or even Dean.

As consciousness drifted back into him, he sat upright and rubbed his face. Slowly finding that what woke him up wasn't the nightmare itself or even his panting and sense of terror.

The alarm clock radio was on next to him and blaring a song that was literally etched into every part of his brain. Before he could reach over and shut it off, someone started singing along. Someone who had managed to come in without waking Sam.

"Heat of the moment…" sang Gabriel, partially dancing as he strolled across the room.

"What the hell?..." blurted Sam, brows furrowed in utter confusion. He began to wonder if he was still asleep and dreaming.

"Rise and shine, Sammy!" shouted Gabriel, grinning at him as he stopped to lean against the dresser, eating a candy bar.

"What are you doing here? You're dead." Stated Sam, voice groggy from sleep as he made an annoyed face and ripped the alarm clock out of the wall.

"That's rude. Actually, I was never dead. Witness protection."

"Why the hell did you wake up me up like this? That's not funny! Asshole…." Grumbled Sam, standing up and glaring at the short angel.

"It's kinda funny, come on, Sam, I put a lot of work into that Mystery Spot mess." Retorted Gabriel, giving him a dirty look.

"What are you doing here? Alive or not, I don't care. Why are you here?" snapped Sam, almost growling at the angel. Gabriel finished his candy bar and tossed the wrapper into the trash can before standing up straight, eyes on Sam.

"You're in too deep, Jolly Green. I'm here to help you see the light and pull your stupid ass out of Lucifer's grasp."

"I'm not in Lucifer's grasp. I'm doing exactly what I want to do."

"Oh, whatever. He's got you by the balls and all he has to do is squeeze, Sam. Trust me, I've known him for a _lot_ longer than you. He's my brother, remember?"

"You turned on him." Retorted Sam, no longer glaring but gaze still narrowed.

"No, I didn't. That was Michael."

"You never stepped in to help him or break it up, did you?"

"I tried, jackass! You tell me how easy it is to get those two assholes to stop tearing at each other's throats! You think I wanted my two big brothers trying to kill each other? You're not that stupid, Sam."

"You never defended him, Gabriel."

"Because he was being a spoiled brat. He still is. He wasn't the favorite anymore so he threw a bitchfit and corrupted humanity, broke daddy's favorite toy. I'm not sticking up for him for doing that. That's not what's really on your mind, anyway. You're just trying to make excuses for the shitstorm you're about to cause."

"Really? And what's that?" asked Sam, anger starting to boil in him, glaring again.

"Lucifer is going to take over everything. He's using you. You are his loyal dog, Sam. He's going to destroy everything, you need to wake up!"

"You been talkin to Dean, haven't you? Or maybe Crowley?" asked Sam, clenching his teeth when Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"What is it with you and them? Jealous or something? No, I've not talked to either of them. And for the record, neither need your permission to do the hanky panky together." Retorted Gabriel, he saw Sam snap and move at him after that and waved his hand, sending the large man into the opposite wall.

"You know that anger in your gut? That rage? That's how Lucifer is keeping you chained to him." Said Gabriel, watching Sam get back to his feet and glare.

"Get out. I might not win but I will fucking fight you." Growled Sam, something in him screaming to listen to Gabriel but his pride refusing. The little angel heaved a sigh.

"You're a fool. Just like Lucifer." Replied Gabriel before vanishing.

Xxxxxx

Dean rolled over in his sleep, in the direction he knew Crowley was but found that side of the bed empty. This caused him to slowly start to wake, yawning once before opening his eyes. He set his hand on the bed and found it was still a little warm where the king had been laying next to him.

"Crowley?..." asked Dean in a groggy tone before clearing his throat and rolling back over to glance around the room.

"Relax. I'm healed, I'm fine. I'm here." Answered Crowley as he pulled a clean suit jacket on, having clearly made a quick trip to get a new suit.

"What's goin on?" asked Dean, rubbing his face as he sat up.

"I've got an errand to run."

"Alright, where we goin?" asked Dean, getting out of bed and stretching.

"No, not we. Me. You need to find Sam. Make sure he's still alive. I don't know what Lucifer's doing to him but Sam's not in his right mind." Explained Crowley, stepping over and reaching up to cup the side of Dean's face.

"Where are you going, then? I don't like the idea of separating right now. It doesn't feel right." Stated Dean, brows furrowed but not shying from the gentle touch.

"I'm going to find Castiel. As much as he and I don't get along, we're going to need all the help we can get. I've got a lead on where he might be." Answered Crowley before leaning in and pressing lips to Dean's gently.

"Wait, wait, what if it's a trap? Don't you think Lucifer would assume you or me will go looking for Cas?" asked Dean, breaking the kiss, his instinct telling him something very bad is going to come of this.

"I've survived an awful lot, Dean, I'll be okay. I don't plan on leaving you any time soon. Trust me." Said Crowley, watching the worried expression on his lover's face. A moment of silence passed between them then Dean nodded.

"You fuckin better come back or I'll hunt your delicate ass down and give you a beating." Replied Dean before leaning in and touching their lips together again. He kept the kiss firm, just in case his instinct was right, just in case his fear knew something he didn't, just in case this was the last kiss they'd have the chance to share.

Crowley closed his eyes, returning the kiss just as passionately. He knew exactly how dangerous this was and all the risks, he had only downplayed it to try and ease Dean's fears. He himself was utterly terrified but he buried that down, expressing it only slightly in how desperately he returned their kiss.

"Relax. We'll meet back here soon enough and figure out our next move. I love you." Stated Crowley, smoothing a hand down his lover's chest once.

"No chick flick moments." Replied Dean with a small smile, the look in his eyes returning the affection. Crowley chuckled and then vanished.

Dean heaved a massive sigh and picked up the bottle of scotch, taking a drink before starting to get dressed. It wouldn't be hard for him to find Sam, it never was. He knew his brother better than anyone else.

Xxxxxx

Just as Crowley appeared at the last place his informant said Castiel had been, an injured demon limped towards him, covered in blood.

"S…sir…" stammered the demon, Crowley gave him a disgusted look and stepped aside so the creature didn't dirty up his suit at all.

"Where you mauled by a tiger?..." asked Crowley, keeping his distance still.

"Sir, the angel…he found me." Blurted the demon, Crowley sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Did I not tell you to stay hidden? Didn't I say to not underestimate Castiel? Do you ever listen to anything I say?"

"He knew you were watching when he found me. He has a message for you, sir." Stated the demon, looking a little like a scolded puppy at the way his King was reacting. Crowley's brows raised and he looked around cautiously before returning his gaze to the minion before him.

"Well? What is it?" asked Crowley, more than a little concerned by the horrified look on the demon's face.

Xxxxxx

Less than an hour after leaving, Dean had already tracked down where Sam was. Using the methods he'd always used when his little brother would run off.

He parked the Impala and walked to the door, picking the lock this time. He wasn't going to waste a single moment, Sam needed to see what was happening right now. Dean pushed the door open and walked in, letting it swing shut behind him.

"Sam?" he asked, seeing the bathroom light is on. His brother walked out of the bathroom and sighed.

"Come to fight with me again, Dean?" asked Sam, folding his arms.

"No. I need you to listen to me. You have to come with me. Right now. I'm not gonna change you, Sam. You wanna do demon blood? Fine. You wanna experiment with other powers? Fine. I don't care anymore. But I'm not gonna lose you." Explained Dean, walking towards his little brother.

"Lose me? I'm not dead, Dean. I'm just not pretending things are cool between us anymore."

"Sammy, please. Listen to me. You don't know what's going on, you don't know what you're being used for. Please come with me, we'll figure it out and kick it in the ass like we always do." Pleaded Dean, stopping right in front of Sam who now had a very confused expression on his face. Cutting through his pride was that voice that had been yelling in the back of his mind.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sam, sounding like himself for the first time since he'd tasted demon blood again.

"Lucifer. This is all a trick, Sam. He's using you. I don't know why but he is. Come with me, we'll meet up with Crowley and Cas. We'll fix this."

"You're… are you sure?" asked Sam, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. Gabriel and Dean trying to tell him the same thing in one night couldn't be a coincidence. Something was massively wrong and he couldn't ignore it anymore.

"Yes, I'm sure. Please, Sammy, I need you. Brother, I need you." Stated Dean in a rough tone, his eyes threatening to well up with tears. Sam saw this and found he was having to fight that sensation as well.

"Okay. Okay, yeah, let's go." Replied Sam, nodding at his brother. Dean gave a relieved sigh and fought the urge to hug his brother, turning to leave.

At that moment that he turned, a blindingly bright light filled the room and gave the knight the sensation of being held down in a pool of holy water. He cried out in agony and dropped to his knees, not able to hear anything above the blood rushing in his ears. Not able to fight the insanely powerful hands that grabbed ahold of him.

"NO!" screamed Sam before charging forward into the light, charging at cold blue eyes that would haunt him forever. He dove, trying to shield Dean and landed face down on the cheap carpet. The light was gone. So was Dean and Lucifer.

Xxxxxx

Crowley had gone on a panic stricken search to have the Impala tracked and find where Dean had went. Before his informants could get back to him as to where it was, a familiar angel in a trench coat grabbed hold of him and they both appeared next to the car. Crowley blinked and saw one of the motel rooms had holy light burning bright inside.

"No, no…" Crowley moved forward to run in and a hand set on his chest, stopping him. He stared in mixed confusion and outrage at Gabriel.

"Any of us go in there right now and we'll be melted. Especially you." Stated Gabriel, looking back at the motel room. Crowley did the same and saw the light was gone.

"Fuck off!" he snapped and pushed past, jogging into the room to find Sam slowly getting up with guilt and terror on his face. The large Winchester looked up to see Crowley just as the other two angels made their way in as well.

"He's gone… Lucifer's got him. We gotta go." Stated Sam, standing up fully.

"We need a plan. No one can just charge at him." Said Gabriel, merely glancing at Crowley as the King slowly backed out of the room with a shell shocked expression.

"Screw a plan, Gabriel! What don't you understand about this? The devil has my brother! We have to save them! Cas, you know this! Crowley, you do too, right?! Crowley?..." asked Sam, blinking. Both angels turned and looked around to find the king was gone. Castiel stepped forward and set his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"We go to the bunker. We plan. We attack. We will save Dean. Or every single one of us will die trying." Vowed Cas, looking directly into Sam's eyes.

"Speak for yourself, kitten. I'm not dyin." Said Gabriel, sighing as he looked around.

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?" snapped Sam, looking at the short angel.

"I'm here to help, you massive asshole. Now we need to leave, before anyone sees that I'm alive. I'm your secret weapon." Retorted Gabriel, stepping out of the room.

"Dean is not going to die, Sam." Stated Cas, trying to convince himself of that as well. Sam just looked at him, giving the briefest of nods before walking out.

Xxxxxx

Dean's eyes snapped open, breathing heavily and finding himself in utter agony. Looking down, he discovered he was strung up on chains, meat hooks in his back to hold him up. Blood was dripping down and hitting the stone floor. The room was dark except for a fire burning a few feet from him. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get down. Glancing at his arm, he saw the mark of Cain was gone.

"It's almost like your stay in Hell, isn't it?" asked a soft voice, Lucifer made his way around to the front to look at Dean.

"No. That was worse." Growled Dean before spitting blood at the devil. Lucifer wiped it away and laughed for a moment.

"I haven't even started with you, yet, Dean. This is what I call foreplay. You're going to get a glimpse of what I have planned for your boyfriend." Answered Lucifer, hands behind his back as he strolled toward the fire, watching the flames curiously. Dean felt his face twitch in disgust and hatred.

"Good luck with that. He knows better than to let you catch him."

"On the contrary, I have a feeling he'll be desperate enough when none of his attempts work to simply give himself up for you. He's not the demon he once was. Humanity reminds one exactly what love feels like. Love corrupts logic. If he knew it would save you, he'd walk right up here and impale himself on those hooks for my entertainment." Said Lucifer, turning to Dean again and smiling, a proud grin. Dean grit his teeth and swallowed back his rage, refusing to give Lucifer the rise he wanted.

"You took away my mark. That make it easier for you to do this?" asked Dean, changing topic.

"Oh, yes. You can't fight me at all, now. You're still demon, though. Which means I can tear you apart over and over again. Just like Hell. You remember Hell don't you, Dean?" asked Lucifer, smirking as he stepped over slowly, a sword with a burning red hot tip at the end of it in his hand.

Dean didn't answer him. He only glared, grit his teeth, and refused to scream. Until the burning blade was pushed into the flesh of his stomach, anyhow.

Xxxxxx

Thunder rumbled and a bolt of lightning cracked in the sky, as though Heaven knew exactly what was happening. Rain falling cleared freshly dug dirt off of a stone grave marker, one reading John Winchester. The little veteran flag flapped in the sudden gusty wind as a hand opened the coffin that was no longer in the ground. Words of an ancient language were spoken but overwhelmed by another clap of thunder.

Down in Hell itself, fires broke out, spreading, and a surge shook it to its core. The famous cage cracking open as the king ordered it to.

Another clap of thunder and burst of lightning strikes as Heaven seemed to answer with its own music.

What were once ashes turned to bones, the dog tags that had been dropped on them draped around a neck as organs, muscle, tissue, and flesh formed once more. The lungs inflated and eyes snapped open. A bright, holy blue shining from them briefly before the body sat up and gave a confused look to who had busted him out.

"Hello, Michael." Stated Crowley, the rain hiding any stray tears that may have fallen as he began this process. He stared directly into the first angel's eyes and was relieved to find there was no hate or anger for him, merely curiosity and gratefulness.

"Hello, little king." Stated Michael through the vocal chords of the famous John Winchester.

_(To be continued….) _

****(Hell fuckin yeah. I feel so proud and accomplished right now. First long fic I've ever completed. Thank you so much for reading and sticking with it. Please leave me a review on your way out, I'm already working on the sequel.)** **


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